Since early February, a protest phenomenon has been building steadily across the United States, springing up at scores of Tesla dealerships from coast to coast. Organizers call it Tesla Takedown. It’s remarkable in part because in today’s United States, we have engineered an environment that prioritizes automotive convenience and speed—and in the process deadens civic life and makes protest difficult. So it’s ironic that Tesla dealerships, many of them located in the worst kind of automotive sprawl, have emerged as crucial nodes in a decentralized network of resistance to Elon Musk and Donald Trump.
In this episode, we talk to participants and organizers about what is motivating them. We also caught up with journalist Ed Niedermeyer, return guest of The War on Cars and author of Ludicrous: The Unvarnished Story of Tesla Motors, about what effect this could have on Tesla’s bottom line, and why it’s an effective tactic to weaken the hold that the world’s richest man, Elon Musk, has on the United States government.
Note: This episode was recorded before the huge Hands Off protests of April 5th, 2025. Clearly, American protesters are starting to find their voice, and their space.
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This episode was produced with the generous support of the Helen & William Mazer Foundation.
This episode was also supported by Cleverhood. Listen to the episode for the latest discount on the best and most stylish rain gear for walking and cycling.
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LINKS:
Find a #TeslaTakedown protest near you.
Check out Ed Niedermeyer’s Autonocast podcast.
Pick up official podcast tees and other merch in our online store.
This episode was edited by Ali Lemer. It was recorded by Justin Fernandez at the Brooklyn Podcasting Studio. Our theme music is by Nathaniel Goodyear. Transcriptions are by Russell Gragg.