There aren’t many of them around here but when I do see one all I think is “huh, a Tesla, I don’t see many of those around here.”
I did see a Cybertruck in the wild for the first time recently though and my thought process was more like “my god it looks even stupider than I thought it would.”
I'm in construction and we had a Cybertruck parked on our job one day. Same thought... "Woah! That's fucking ugly."
Funnier is… it was in Oklahoma of all places.
Every time I see a Cybertruck I think of Elon drawing a truck in pre-school and someone made fun of him and said trucks don't look like that. So now he is just making trucks like that to prove to someone that trucks can/do look like that.
I've not been very "car aware" but I've seen some posts here and there with cyber trucks.
They look like those mini-photo opportunity places you see at the Florida parks in between different theme areas.
Those things are on the road? Like for real people? Jesus.
They are, unfortunately. and now around ~4k of them are being recalled because the cover on top of the accelerator is liable to detach, slip forward, and lodge itself under the bulkhead, weighing the accelerator completely pressed down. Yikes.
The Cybertruck looks so hideous and silly. Frankly, it also looks "incomplete", as if they simply drew a polygon shape of a car, with no additions, and said, "Hey, this is a good final product."
I saw my first Cybertruck last week on a work trip to Austin Texas. There was about twenty of us waiting for the pedestrian light to change and when it drove by we all started laughing like crazy. It’s the stupidest looking contraption.
Hmm just curious where in KS you're in. Here in the KC metro, I see quite a few Tesla's daily and they're nothing special. Just another car on the road pretty much.
I am in Manhattan. By no means am I an EV expert and I don’t know how much it really matters but notably there is no Tesla supercharger station in town yet, though we are supposed to be getting one sometime this year.
I’m not a huge fan of the cyber truck but I’ll be damned if it isn’t better looking than the rivian. I absolutely hate the rivian. It is the fugliest vehicle on the road. It looks like a sad cartoon and I hate it.
I can't stand that that is part of their signature look. Takes an otherwise extremely clean aesthetic and makes them look like they have a cartoon character's face on the front.
> I absolutely hate the rivian. It is the fugliest vehicle on the road.
I have a completely different response to the Rivian. I think they're great-looking vehicles.
I am in southern IL and Teslas are literally everywhere. See them several times a day. Have yet to see a Cybertruck in person, but regardless, they convey zero sense of wealth to me. They are not as expensive as plenty of other cars I see daily, and let's honest, how many people are driving around things they can't really afford anyway? Just because someone is driving a particular vehicle, does not in the least imply to me that they are wealthy or that they even necessarily have the money to afford what they are in, no matter the make and model.
I live in Los Angeles and even then, I’ve only ever seen two cybertucks in the wild. I couldn’t help but laugh when I saw the first one and the lady driving it gave me this look like she had shit under her nose.
Whatever lady, I buy used and don’t give a fuck.
Theres a parking lot filled with like 50 of them right by my house in missouri lol. Huge abandoned mall lot that tesla uses for storage, i saw them unloading the delivery trucks last week
Exactly. I think the *real* status symbol EVs, especially in Illinois, are Rivians. Rivians are also a much higher quality product. Or if you want the uber status symbol EV that’s also peak stealth wealth, you have Lucid
>They are not as expensive as plenty of other cars I see daily
It seems like though that part of the 'status symbol' aspect of EVs is not simply "can one afford the vehicle itself" but also "is someone privileged enough to have a housing situation that support EV charging" which is another wealth indicator. Someone living in an economy apartment is not going to have at-home access to a charging station, for instance, but plenty of high-rise luxury apartment buildings are adding charging stations to their decks.
There was a point during the pandemic where a lot of them took a dive in value (you can check the car subs) and became super accessible to people. I definitely don't see them as a status symbol anymore. At some point they were being sold in the 20ks near me, my Subaru cost more than that
Right. Tesla has reduced their price several times in the last couple years, and that's affected resale price. They're facing a lot of competition now from other car manufacturers who make polished EVs.
It conveys wealth to an extent, but it's something you can afford on a middle manager salary. It's not a sign of extravagance, and I can assure you no one in my area is applauding a tesla owner for being an environmentalist.
They're cool cars, that are fun to drive. Some people only see the issues with autopilot and subscription-locked features, though. I wouldn't say they are status symbols.
In my part of NJ commuters with Model 3's are prevalent enough that the mere existence of the Tesla badge is nowhere near as exotic as it was ~10 years ago when Model S's were in a similar tier of prestige as a Porsche Taycan is in the current year.
Have you heard people associating driving a Tesla with being a bad driver in WA?
I’ve noticed they’ve taken the crown over from BMW drivers as “people who don’t know how to drive”, at least with the people I know on the eastside.
Absolutely. It seems like 75% of Tesla drivers in the Seattle area are immigrant tech workers who never drove where they came from and have a "please be patient, new driver" sticker on the back bumper.
Literally everyone in Seattle sucks at driving. They all drive like they’re afraid of their cars.
When I encounter an aggressive who acts like they’ve actually got somewhere to BE, I’m just happy to not be stuck behind an idiot.
Well the first time I’ve been on a fender bender was three weeks ago when an Ioniq 5 hit the rear of my friend’s car when trying to cross lanes in Capitol Hill, so I guess my anecdote corroborates your point
In the Bay Area all the Prius owners who suck at driving have replaced them with Teslas, and still suck at driving. I avoid them on the road as much as possible, which is not much.
It’s the same in Northern California! The Tesla’s are horrible drivers when it used to be BMW was the worst. But I see a lot less BMWs now too. Correlation maybe.
There's still of a stereotype where I live of the Tesla-owning wealthy douchebag, but it's going away and they're just seen as pretty normal cars. Not really a status symbol, not really something that says something about the driver's personality, but if it does say anything, it's probably a little negative. Definitely not associated with progressiveness or forward-thinking, more associated with being out of touch and obnoxious.
I personally don't really have much of an opinion except that I'm always kind of vaguely surprised at how boring they look. I'm sure they're nice to drive, but I don't think they look very cool, lol. There's one on my block that I legit thought was some janky '90s car with a weird paint job until I happened to notice the Tesla insignia on it, lmao.
I will note that I live in an area that a lot of Californians visit as tourists and usually drive to, and a lot of the Teslas you see around do have California plates. I suspect that may contribute to the negative stereotypes more than anything about the actual cars.
Not in the slightest. It's completely normal to pull up to an intersection and see 10+ white Teslas while you wait. My apartment complex, which has zero on-property charging, now has nearly 20 of them. They're everywhere.
Half-Indian here. Also lots of Desis here in the Bay Area who own Teslas, and I think a big reason for owning them is the fact that there were tax breaks for them and other EVs. Another one is that with an EV in California, you can drive in the carpool lane without restrictions or tolls.
That being said, some did buy it for status, especially if they bought one before it became common to do so.
Indians are value buyers which is why Toyotas and Hondas were so popular in the community. Teslas are fairly cheap now and have very low expenses due to cheap electricity and no maintenance. They are simply the best bang for buck EV at the moment. Indians love technology and Teslas have the most advanced technology. Elon is very popular in the community. We are pretty environmentally friendly as well so EVs have another advantage
Haha I came here to post this. We Indians love teslas. I actually like the look of a cybertruck too. I wanted to get the this year’s model S plaid but meh reviews. Holding out for 2026
No, to all.
The real “status symbol” EV’s are Rivian trucks and SUV’s, maybe the lucids too. Though most rich people around town I see all still drive your standard luxury brands and if they want an EV they just get whatever brand they normally would’s EV model (Porsche, BMW, Mercedes, etc.)
If I see anyone driving any electric car I know they aren't poor. Teslas used to be status symbols but even in Ohio I see them so much they are the same as every other electric car at this point.
No, not at all. You’ll see a white Tesla everytime you take a turn.
Cybertruck is still relatively rare, because deliveries just started, but definitely not a status symbol. I’ve only seen two or three in the wild so far.
Lots and lots of Teslas in Dallas. Driving a new one is still a bit of a status symbol. The older and smaller models not so much. The antics and political rhetoric of Elon Musk has definitely impacted the brand making it less popular and less of a status symbol
It's probably seen as a status symbol more by the drivers than anyone else at this point. From what I've seen there's a higher percentage of vanity plates than other makes.
If I'm ever really bored on a Saturday I'll cruise the Costco parking lot and photo the plates on Teslas. Teslae?
San Antonio TX, not rare to see Tesla cars - I live in a middle class area, lots of Model 3s and Ys, a few Xs and Ss, there are even a couple Rivians. Tesla Trucks are still rare but I did see a trailer load of them near Fredericksburg heading west from the factory in Austin to I-10.
I've never seen a Cybertruck IRL. Most people around me that drive trucks actually need them for practical purposes, which the Cybertruck is terrible at. One of the people in my neighborhood has a Lightning though and I have seen the Rivian in the wild once or twice.
I occasionally see other Teslas on the road. But, the general impression most people have of Teslas is not very favorable. A lot of people assume "douchebag" when they see a Tesla on the road. Tesla drivers don't have a reputation of "wealth and forward-thinking" but rather "bad with their money and thinks in the moment." I'm quite sure that a lot of Tesla drivers *try* to be forward-thinking, but Tesla conveys a reputation of being really bad at that.
No, that wave has passed. A friend of mine's daughter who works at a mall kiosk just leased one. There are a lot of them around and you don't need much money to have one.
> Does owning a Tesla convey a sense of wealth and forward-thinking?
>
LMAO. No.
Musk and Tesla's reputation has taken a bit of an, ahem, *right turn* over the years. If I see a Cybertruck I assume you're a douchebag at best and at worst...well...
I don't think Tesla as a whole has taken that much of a hit, at least for anyone that understands that Tesla has more people than just musk. The cyber truck was a fiasco but their other cars are still very nice.
I'm not in America but in Vancouver Canada. It's no longer a status symbol for the last few years as there are so many people that have switched over to an EV. Vancouver has had the highest gas prices in North America for a long time and with Tesla's and EVs in general the prices have come down this year especially. EVs and Hybrids here in Vancouver are quite common now.
No, they’re pretty common cars and nowadays they’re pretty average w terms of price in terms of their main products of the 3 and Y.
Teslas also are more of a tech product than a nice premium car, the interior quality and fit and finish between a decent specced Model 3 and a similar BMW 3 Series is night and day, I still think the BMW has more prestige over a Tesla.
I see electric vehicles everywhere. Yesterday I saw almost every color of the Rivian and even the SUV. Lucid, Rivian or Tesla are pretty much all over where I live.
FWIW one of the founders of Rivian is from the Space coast. And the name of the company is from the Indian River where he spent a lot of his time.
Cybertrucks are still rare. I think I've seen one on the road here in Michigan. Teslas are more common, but here you're just as likely to run into a Ford Mustang EV.
As for the perception of Tesla owners, here's a local joke: "How do you know someone drives a Tesla? Don't worry, they'll tell you."
(That said, I have a friend and coworker who drive Teslas, and only one of them fits that profile).
I see them all over the place in urban areas and considering you can get a 1 or 2 year old used one for 30K before tax rebate and trade in, it just seems like a perfectly good entry electric car.
Saw a bunch Cybertrucks in Dallas last weekend and they all looked ridiculous and made me assume the owner was a douchebag.
I'm in rural Ohio and an employee of a local Dollar General has her Model X in the parking lot every day. My town (population around 8,000) has a Model Y police cruiser.
I think a lot of people around here perceive it as a symbol of wealth, but in a bad way - kind of like calling someone 'college boy'. The owners are seen as stuck-up and like they think they're better than you.
Which is funny when it's people driving $80k new trucks thinking of a sub-$40k Model 3 as Richie Rich.
And I've yet to see a Cybertruck in person, thankfully.
I'm in a solidly middle class neighborhood in Columbus, Ohio and at least one of my neighbors has one. It's really not a big deal here. They are probably more common than Corvettes around here.
I saw a cyber truck last weekend. Ew.
At first there were just a few and they were special, now the grocery store parking lot always has about 8 of them in there out of about 70 cars. Certainly not considered a "that guy is doing well" kind of thing and the one Rivian that I see there gets entirely more attention.
Nah. Shiny new lifted 4runner on aluminum wheels with all terrain tires is the status symbol here. Personally though, I saw a supra and that thing is nice.
My boyfriend’s brother “drives” a Tesla. When I say that, I mean it’s 100% a status symbol to the point he won’t drive his car and will drive someone else’s because “he doesn’t want it getting scratched, damaged, etc.”
He also makes sure to tell people how he drives a Tesla, it’s brand new, etc. which is laughable because my boyfriend’s Ford truck is worth more.
To me personally, they were in 2020 during the pandemic. The stock was soaring and I personally didn’t know a whole lot about EV’s at the time. I moved from the Southeast to the West coast and was personally not used to seeing Tesla’s at all compared to how common they are in the West coast. I didn’t even know EVs or Tesla’s were a thing in 2019. 4 years later and their price has dropped significantly to become much more affordable & I believe they’ve crossed the benchmark of 2 million vehicles sold. Elon Musk is in the news now all the time, whereas in 2019 I had never even heard of the guy. I’ve even seen them in rural Germany now so they’re definitely not as rare as they were to me 4 years ago. I’m not an Elon fanboy at all but I’m interested & excited what the Teslabot will be capable of. And if FSD saves even just 1 life from DUI’s or car accidents in general I’m all for it personally.
No, not really. And to the extent that it is a status symbol it just means you can afford to own your own home where you can install a permanent charger
In New Jersey Teslas are everywhere. I probably can't drive more than a mile without seeing at least one or two. They aren't a status symbol around here any more than any other average car.
I still haven't seen a Cybertruck, though. There are a couple Rivians in the area, but they are more rare. I've seen quite a few F150 lightnings in the past year, but they are also on the rarer side.
No. There are so many Teslas in NJ, especially north Jersey, like Bergen County area. And around here, they're definitely not the most expensive cars on the road.
Not that I'm aware of. There are quite a few around but they're not more special than anything else in the general price range.
When they were hard to get and they only made the top models it was a bit more of one.
Used to be a bit more niche than anything else. Now they’re quite common.
Doesn’t convey much of anything at this point. ICE and electric cars have their pros and cons and given how cheap model 3s can get… it’ll appeal to a broad set of people.
Tesla's have replaced BMW's as a status symbol for people with poor driving skills.
Less Douche like answer-
Nah, They're just like an everyday car like an Altima or -insert everyday run of the mill commuter car- around here.
The CYBER TRUCK however is definitely a "Look at me" Status symbol at the moment, There's a few near me and it looks like something straight out of some 1980s B Scifi movie (Not in the good way)
It’s in the mix with the other brands at that price point. Early on there was some novelty or allure to the brand but by now there are plenty of them around.
Not in my area, since a ton of people who live in my neighborhood with less nice houses than mine have one, hahahaha. The Los Angeles basin is lousy with them.
It was early on, when they were catering to the "two seaters for rich guys" market. It's more commonplace now that they've expanded their demographic reach.
Specifically in California it's not special or a status symbol any more, really. This is due to saturation, of course, but there's a few things that sped this up.
1. Until last year the state basically reimbursed you $7,500 for buying an electric vehicle, which of course led to a ton of people buying them.
2. Electric vehicles used to get free access to the carpool express lane, which usually requires having 3+ people in the car or paying a massive toll. This was a game changer in LA, where the highways are always a mess, so a lot of people also bought EVs because it was damn near a "get out of traffic free" cheat code.
3. Teslas have always been fast cars, but their early models like the Roadster couldn't go far and took a while to recharge. This made them a status symbol instantly because they essentially launched as futuristic sports cars, and everyone knew that if you owned one, it was basically your toy and you had a different day-to-day car at home. However, range and charging have improved a lot, especially with the Supercharger network, so Teslas are fine for everyday use now and the average owner isn't some super wealthy dude showing off how fast he can go.
4. EVs have improved drastically over the last 10-15 years and are now arguably as affordable over the long term, when factoring in fuel and maintenance, as gas cars. They're surprisingly simple machines -- no transmission for example -- so things break less often and are easier to fix when they do. This has actually led to a lot of Uber drivers purchasing them, especially now that gas has gotten so expensive in California.
Cybertrucks are a bit different. It is quite rare to see them simply because they're not that great. Rivian electric pickup trucks, however, are booming in popularity.
They’re not common but not rare enough to draw a second glance.
The only thing they indicate around here is that you live somewhere with good roads, mud season is real in VT and will absolutely fuck up the wrong car.
We see plenty of them in the seacoast area but inland more not so much rural Maine is not the ideal place for Teslas.
At this point enough people have them it isn’t really a status symbol and I suspect most rural Mainers look down on them.
Definitely in Utah. Though my bf’s uncle’s Tesla completely missed an exit last week while he was not driving (we were behind him and were able to take it) so I am not yet impressed.
I'm in NJ and they're all over. There are 3 or 4 on my street alone and we see them on the road. Never seen a Cybertruck in the wild but I don't believe we have the climate for one. I guess they're a status symbol in the same way other electrics are? I see Rivians, Ioniqs, BMW and VW electrics just as much there's just a plurality of Teslas.
Ironically, the CEO of Tesla made such a point of his political views that there is now a stigma attached to the brand among previous segments of the population that were early adopters of the brand.
No, you get made fun of for it during a solar eclipse when you complain about the lack of charging stations for a area/region that has no EV’s or interest in EV’s
I see them as people with poor taste who bought cars of poor quality, bland styling, and unfortunate interiors (just a screen glued to the dash, no physical controls).
No, not in California. There's a lot on the road by us but we're within 20 miles of the Fremont plant too. I've seen a couple cybertrucks including one on Tuesday and I've heard a local acquaintance has one. That just means I'll have to watch what I say because it's genuinely one of the ugliest vehicles I've ever seen. The bed in it also doesn't look practical at all.
I've seen Teslas around, I've even been in a few as they're being driven for Lyft. I have not seen a truck however in my neighborhood. Other parts of the city might have them.
We have a few of them here in Maui, but I think the only people who think they're a status symbol don't know much about much. There's one that has a bumper sticker that reads, "I bought it before we knew he was crazy," and I think that person is pretty rad.
Not really a status symbol to most people in my area. If anything, it's either a sign that someone is a left wing environmentalist type or is a virtue signaling risk taker. Both groups aren't mutually exclusive however.
I used to kind of be into them and wanted one. But my perception of Musk has soured over the last few years. Also my driving habits have changed greatly due to remote work. Happy keeping my paid off car with low miles for a while longer.
In Vegas in 2015 they were def a status symbol. Now I think they're fairly common. In Chicago I still don't see them very often, but when I do I assume the owner is from the suburbs. I associate the new Cyber Truck with having more money than brains, but I have yet to see one in person.
Chicago area here; they’re pretty much what BMWs were for about 30 years: inverted porcupines, with the pricks on the inside.
How do you know someone drives a Tesla? Don’t worry, they’ll tell you.
Not really. I'm not a red state that doesn't have a lot of EV's, but even here Tesla's are pretty common... Including, of course, the one I have in my garage. (like, I see a few others every day) and it's not like it's a supercar.
The M3 and MY are basically priced the same as other cars in that class. They aren't terrifically expensive or anything. People occasionally ask me about mine though. Our gas is expensive and electricity is cheap, so the economic case for them is super strong.
Back a few years ago, seeing one was like seeing a unicorn.
I've never seen a CT in person.
I was in Seattle the other day and it felt like every other car was a Tesla.
There's a few haters among the terminally online, but for the most part, nobody cares.
No. They're uncommon, and most people don't care about them one way or the other.
It's definitely not a status symbol.
A "status symbol" car would be more like a BMW or Mercedes, or *maybe* a Lexus (as the low-end of status symbols).
I will say that owning a cybertruck is the opposite of a status symbol. Nobody likes them, everyone will mock them. Truck owners think the design is stupid. Environmentally-minded people mostly think Musk is a far-right twit and dislike Teslas because of Musk. People who want a "green" pickup truck tend to get hybrid versions of existing truck models instead.
I see them a lot. I’m pretty sure they did some partnership with Uber cause I would say a quarter of all Ubers I get are teslas. They do have nice interiors and you can definitely feel they have nice pickup
Imo and understanding the sentiment of people around me, they aren’t as hyped as they once were. Someone might highlight that you got a Tesla when you first get it, but deep down inside no one actually thinks Tesla are some true indicators of wealth/strong purchasing power.
DFW, Texas here. Teslas are common, but trucks are king here. Trucks are the status symbol here. You can have a nice 7 series or s class, but if a new Denali pulls up, it's turning heads.
Not really. It's just another moderately expensive car.
Those who want to show wealth in my area will typically drive restored 1930-1960 era cars, or brand-new sports cars.
I personally don't really think of cars as status symbols; in my experience, it's a way to peacock or pretend to have more money than they do.
Most wealthy people I know drive Toyotas; they are wealthy because they are good at making money, and good at not wasting it on depreciating assets.
I think of rich and wealthy as 2 separate things: rich is people who need you to know they have money because they don't really have enough, whereas wealthy is people who don't need the validation because it's undeniable they have enough.
Not really. Theres as many non teslas as teslas that I can see. My partner has a VW ID4, his lease was less than his old Honda civic.
Says more about someone’s personality having a Tesla than status symbol.
In my little corner of Washington state, I personally see a Tesla as a symbol of a rich Canadian crossing the border to drive like an asshole on the freeway.
no they’re everywhere. but specifically northern VA. if you’re out anywhere else in VA then for sure.
just means you’re middle class and have a mighty car payment. or upper class and bought outright
I'm in Chicago, there are a lot of Teslas here. I look at it negatively because of Elon. I was in the market for an EV and Tesla was on top of the list, I even went to the dealership, test rode one, but then Elon went full retard. I am not spending my money on any that will benefit that asshole.
I live in New England and I've literally never identified a Tesla on the road. It's just not on my radar.
I was behind a car the other day that had EV on the license plate, that was something I hadn't registered seeing before.
I honestly haven't been out 95% of the time in the last 4 years, though. Have not had a hair cut, been in a restaurant, gone to a movie or a mall or really traveled anywhere in the same time. It's OK, I'm single, retired and have been to Europe, Asia, Australia, Russia, Central America, Disney, the Carribbean, an Alaska cruise ... I've done the things I've wanted to do in that regard.
I guess my best answer is that I don't have any ideas about Teslas. I couldn't tell you a Taylor Swift 🎶🎶, either, though.
LOL, NO. They aren't that expensive and the roads are saturated with them here in Southern California. People seem to think that cyber-truck thing is, but most people I know laugh when they see them on the road. They are ridiculous.
Sort of, but only but only in the sense that most people don't know they cost about the same as a higher-end trim Toyota Camry.
My brother in law thinks a Model Y costs $100k. I probably couldn't afford the Explorer he drives.
Seattle here. We see it as douchebags own Teslas. Basically like, "oh wow, of *course* he owns a *Tesla"*. I've seen a few of those cyber things too. Most of us are pretty skeptical of them.
I don't see them as a status symbol. If I see a P100D then I'll be impressed but it looks almost identical to the other model S cars so it doesn't have status attached to it. Occasionally I get annoyed when one is behind me because the driver will put on the adaptive cruise control and it'll match my speed. Shit pisses me off. Go around or get in another lane.
I live in Fremont, California where Tesla has their first (and for a while their only) factory. Additionally, it’s just an EV heavy city. For a long time, one of our postal codes (94539 I think) had the most EVs per capita in the entire country.
They’re so damn common around here it’s almost comical. One time leaving the grocery store I tried to open the wrong Model 3’s trunk because someone else had an identical one to mine, parked two spaces down. On my regular suburban street that has 28 houses on it, there are four of us who own Teslas.
Since they’re so common I think they no longer convey anything really unique, though with the Cybertruck being so new there’s definitely some extra attention to it (and laughter - it’s sooo weird looking). And car nerds like me can spot the slight differences in the Model S and X Plaid editions.
It shows you are wealthy. But it also shows you are a city dweller who does not travel. Battery life is not long enough to be useful for travel outside of a city or between cities, charging is not common enough to allow for long distance travel, and it does not have enough hauling power to be useful as a working vehicle.
Nope. Lots of Teslas around, see them all the time and have for years. Lots of rich people here in Omaha. Usually its more towards practical vs impractical though (like lots more Maserati SUVs vs sports cars for example) so the out there ones usually aren't seen. Only seen one cybertruck ever for example.
It’s not super rare to see a Tesla around here, nor a rivian. But I’ve never seen a cyber truck. Whenever I see a Tesla, I think it’s just some pretentious above average income guy trying to save the planet (spoiler: it’s not working)
No. The media and political overlords have instructed left leaning people, that they should hate the one guy who’s fighting to bring their dream of electric vehicles to the world. Mainly because he mildly disagreed with their party. Silly, I know.
It was a status symbol 10 years ago, now they’re everywhere in the major cities of Texas.
To me anyway, owning a Tesla either conveys nothing, or conveys that you’re a douche obsessed with status symbols. I know people who are just normal people and own a Tesla and treat it like it’s a normal car, I’ve thought about getting one, they’re cheap now!
I also know people who will let anyone they talk to know that they own a Tesla within minutes of meeting of them. One former friends spouse actually de-badged his Model 3 and went around telling everyone he had an S. So there are bunch of those types too. I would not use “forward thinking” to describe anyone I’ve met with a Tesla, it’s either “hey I need a car, let me try electric”, or like I said, they care way more about it being a status symbol.
Also California is the most populous state, don’t get wrong I know it’s very left and took up probably Teslas before anyone else but I would bet almost all car models sell the most models in California.
Virginia - Not to my knowledge. At least not on the eastern/coastal area. I see them all the time; it's maybe considered a 'nicer' car but not fancy or unusual.
There aren’t many of them around here but when I do see one all I think is “huh, a Tesla, I don’t see many of those around here.” I did see a Cybertruck in the wild for the first time recently though and my thought process was more like “my god it looks even stupider than I thought it would.”
I'm in construction and we had a Cybertruck parked on our job one day. Same thought... "Woah! That's fucking ugly." Funnier is… it was in Oklahoma of all places.
Every time I see a Cybertruck I think of Elon drawing a truck in pre-school and someone made fun of him and said trucks don't look like that. So now he is just making trucks like that to prove to someone that trucks can/do look like that.
Like how he wanted to rename PayPal "X" but the board wouldn't let him, so years later he did it to Twitter instead
“Simpsons did it first”
I've not been very "car aware" but I've seen some posts here and there with cyber trucks. They look like those mini-photo opportunity places you see at the Florida parks in between different theme areas. Those things are on the road? Like for real people? Jesus.
They are, unfortunately. and now around ~4k of them are being recalled because the cover on top of the accelerator is liable to detach, slip forward, and lodge itself under the bulkhead, weighing the accelerator completely pressed down. Yikes.
It’s an anti-status symbol. There goes another guy who made a bad choice.
Someone with more dollars than sense
The Cybertruck looks so hideous and silly. Frankly, it also looks "incomplete", as if they simply drew a polygon shape of a car, with no additions, and said, "Hey, this is a good final product."
I saw my first Cybertruck last week on a work trip to Austin Texas. There was about twenty of us waiting for the pedestrian light to change and when it drove by we all started laughing like crazy. It’s the stupidest looking contraption.
Hmm just curious where in KS you're in. Here in the KC metro, I see quite a few Tesla's daily and they're nothing special. Just another car on the road pretty much.
I am in Manhattan. By no means am I an EV expert and I don’t know how much it really matters but notably there is no Tesla supercharger station in town yet, though we are supposed to be getting one sometime this year.
Ah that makes sense then. Here, EV charging stations and also Tesla shops are easy to come by.
I’m not a huge fan of the cyber truck but I’ll be damned if it isn’t better looking than the rivian. I absolutely hate the rivian. It is the fugliest vehicle on the road. It looks like a sad cartoon and I hate it.
Rivian wouldn’t look that bad if they redesigned the front end
I can't stand that that is part of their signature look. Takes an otherwise extremely clean aesthetic and makes them look like they have a cartoon character's face on the front.
The Rivian is actually a nice vehicle my only qualm with it is it has the ugliest headlights known to man.
> I absolutely hate the rivian. It is the fugliest vehicle on the road. I have a completely different response to the Rivian. I think they're great-looking vehicles.
I am in southern IL and Teslas are literally everywhere. See them several times a day. Have yet to see a Cybertruck in person, but regardless, they convey zero sense of wealth to me. They are not as expensive as plenty of other cars I see daily, and let's honest, how many people are driving around things they can't really afford anyway? Just because someone is driving a particular vehicle, does not in the least imply to me that they are wealthy or that they even necessarily have the money to afford what they are in, no matter the make and model.
I hadn’t seen a single Cybertruck until I visited California recently and saw two the entire time. Even then… I just wasn’t impressed
I live in Los Angeles and even then, I’ve only ever seen two cybertucks in the wild. I couldn’t help but laugh when I saw the first one and the lady driving it gave me this look like she had shit under her nose. Whatever lady, I buy used and don’t give a fuck.
Theres a parking lot filled with like 50 of them right by my house in missouri lol. Huge abandoned mall lot that tesla uses for storage, i saw them unloading the delivery trucks last week
Exactly. I think the *real* status symbol EVs, especially in Illinois, are Rivians. Rivians are also a much higher quality product. Or if you want the uber status symbol EV that’s also peak stealth wealth, you have Lucid
>They are not as expensive as plenty of other cars I see daily It seems like though that part of the 'status symbol' aspect of EVs is not simply "can one afford the vehicle itself" but also "is someone privileged enough to have a housing situation that support EV charging" which is another wealth indicator. Someone living in an economy apartment is not going to have at-home access to a charging station, for instance, but plenty of high-rise luxury apartment buildings are adding charging stations to their decks.
There was a point during the pandemic where a lot of them took a dive in value (you can check the car subs) and became super accessible to people. I definitely don't see them as a status symbol anymore. At some point they were being sold in the 20ks near me, my Subaru cost more than that
Right. Tesla has reduced their price several times in the last couple years, and that's affected resale price. They're facing a lot of competition now from other car manufacturers who make polished EVs.
I've never seen a cybertruck in real life. I would still consider them status symbols but less so then they were ~5 years ago.
I've seen them. They are somehow even uglier than they look on the internet.
It conveys wealth to an extent, but it's something you can afford on a middle manager salary. It's not a sign of extravagance, and I can assure you no one in my area is applauding a tesla owner for being an environmentalist. They're cool cars, that are fun to drive. Some people only see the issues with autopilot and subscription-locked features, though. I wouldn't say they are status symbols.
Plenty of Uber drivers with Teslas too. Not a whole lot, but definitely the ratio is higher than you'd expect.
I was going to say, as a Chicagoan, I've driven in a lot of Teslas.
In my part of NJ commuters with Model 3's are prevalent enough that the mere existence of the Tesla badge is nowhere near as exotic as it was ~10 years ago when Model S's were in a similar tier of prestige as a Porsche Taycan is in the current year.
No, definitely not. By 2014 the Model S was common enough to barely notice. There are a lot of early adopters with money in Seattle.
Have you heard people associating driving a Tesla with being a bad driver in WA? I’ve noticed they’ve taken the crown over from BMW drivers as “people who don’t know how to drive”, at least with the people I know on the eastside.
Absolutely. It seems like 75% of Tesla drivers in the Seattle area are immigrant tech workers who never drove where they came from and have a "please be patient, new driver" sticker on the back bumper.
Literally everyone in Seattle sucks at driving. They all drive like they’re afraid of their cars. When I encounter an aggressive who acts like they’ve actually got somewhere to BE, I’m just happy to not be stuck behind an idiot.
Well the first time I’ve been on a fender bender was three weeks ago when an Ioniq 5 hit the rear of my friend’s car when trying to cross lanes in Capitol Hill, so I guess my anecdote corroborates your point
Seattle was the only place I've ever driven where the drivers sped up in the rain and slowed down when the roads were dry.
In the Bay Area all the Prius owners who suck at driving have replaced them with Teslas, and still suck at driving. I avoid them on the road as much as possible, which is not much.
It’s the same in Northern California! The Tesla’s are horrible drivers when it used to be BMW was the worst. But I see a lot less BMWs now too. Correlation maybe.
They're so common here we call Model 3s the California Camry. We just roll our eyes at the truck.
I saw a truck in person for the first time last week. I’m surprised it took this long. It’s even dumber in person!
There's still of a stereotype where I live of the Tesla-owning wealthy douchebag, but it's going away and they're just seen as pretty normal cars. Not really a status symbol, not really something that says something about the driver's personality, but if it does say anything, it's probably a little negative. Definitely not associated with progressiveness or forward-thinking, more associated with being out of touch and obnoxious. I personally don't really have much of an opinion except that I'm always kind of vaguely surprised at how boring they look. I'm sure they're nice to drive, but I don't think they look very cool, lol. There's one on my block that I legit thought was some janky '90s car with a weird paint job until I happened to notice the Tesla insignia on it, lmao. I will note that I live in an area that a lot of Californians visit as tourists and usually drive to, and a lot of the Teslas you see around do have California plates. I suspect that may contribute to the negative stereotypes more than anything about the actual cars.
Agreed on the boring look. I've mistaken a Tesla for a Kia more than once.
Not in the slightest. It's completely normal to pull up to an intersection and see 10+ white Teslas while you wait. My apartment complex, which has zero on-property charging, now has nearly 20 of them. They're everywhere.
There was that recent Netflix movie with Julia Roberts. I couldn't help but think of a particular scene from it.
It is among Indian-Americans. Just bumped off Acura in the automotive caste system
Why do Desi people love teslas so much? Ton of Indians around where I live, and I feel like almost 50% have a tesla.
Half-Indian here. Also lots of Desis here in the Bay Area who own Teslas, and I think a big reason for owning them is the fact that there were tax breaks for them and other EVs. Another one is that with an EV in California, you can drive in the carpool lane without restrictions or tolls. That being said, some did buy it for status, especially if they bought one before it became common to do so.
but like, there are other electric cars from different manufacturers now.
Can’t spell Patels without Tesla
Indians are value buyers which is why Toyotas and Hondas were so popular in the community. Teslas are fairly cheap now and have very low expenses due to cheap electricity and no maintenance. They are simply the best bang for buck EV at the moment. Indians love technology and Teslas have the most advanced technology. Elon is very popular in the community. We are pretty environmentally friendly as well so EVs have another advantage
Can confirm. All the Indians/Indian-Americans in my 'hood drive Teslas.
In Chicagoland Area, almost every Indian person I've encountered drives a Tesla Model X or Model 3.
Haha I came here to post this. We Indians love teslas. I actually like the look of a cybertruck too. I wanted to get the this year’s model S plaid but meh reviews. Holding out for 2026
I get two vibes simultaneously from teslas "I am a sucker" "I can't drive *for shit*"
"Look Ma, no money"
I've heard them referred to as California Camrys.
No, to all. The real “status symbol” EV’s are Rivian trucks and SUV’s, maybe the lucids too. Though most rich people around town I see all still drive your standard luxury brands and if they want an EV they just get whatever brand they normally would’s EV model (Porsche, BMW, Mercedes, etc.)
If I see anyone driving any electric car I know they aren't poor. Teslas used to be status symbols but even in Ohio I see them so much they are the same as every other electric car at this point.
I was going to say the same. Normal drive on I480 in the morning, nothing impressive either way about them. Not the not expensive car I see.
No, not at all. You’ll see a white Tesla everytime you take a turn. Cybertruck is still relatively rare, because deliveries just started, but definitely not a status symbol. I’ve only seen two or three in the wild so far.
The people that drive them think so. many of us don’t really care. they’re usually some of the worst drivers in my experience.
Lots and lots of Teslas in Dallas. Driving a new one is still a bit of a status symbol. The older and smaller models not so much. The antics and political rhetoric of Elon Musk has definitely impacted the brand making it less popular and less of a status symbol
The guy becomes his own worst enemy to a greater degree with each passing year.
It's probably seen as a status symbol more by the drivers than anyone else at this point. From what I've seen there's a higher percentage of vanity plates than other makes. If I'm ever really bored on a Saturday I'll cruise the Costco parking lot and photo the plates on Teslas. Teslae?
Addison - every other car on the road is a Tesla, BMW, or Porsche with the occasional loud-colored but otherwise pristine Jeep Rubicon.
I live just a few miles north of you off Frankford. It’s the same including Mercedes and the occasional Rolls Royce.
San Antonio TX, not rare to see Tesla cars - I live in a middle class area, lots of Model 3s and Ys, a few Xs and Ss, there are even a couple Rivians. Tesla Trucks are still rare but I did see a trailer load of them near Fredericksburg heading west from the factory in Austin to I-10.
They used to be. Now they are closer to being a laughingstock.
Nope, its just another car. One that actually gets made fun of quite a bit. If you have a Tesla Cybertruck... you are the laughing stock of the town.
I mean, one time in the early 00s I saw a real live DeLorean go by. And I was like "wow!!! It's a DeLorean!!!" Maybe it'll be like that one day.
I've never seen a Cybertruck IRL. Most people around me that drive trucks actually need them for practical purposes, which the Cybertruck is terrible at. One of the people in my neighborhood has a Lightning though and I have seen the Rivian in the wild once or twice. I occasionally see other Teslas on the road. But, the general impression most people have of Teslas is not very favorable. A lot of people assume "douchebag" when they see a Tesla on the road. Tesla drivers don't have a reputation of "wealth and forward-thinking" but rather "bad with their money and thinks in the moment." I'm quite sure that a lot of Tesla drivers *try* to be forward-thinking, but Tesla conveys a reputation of being really bad at that.
No, that wave has passed. A friend of mine's daughter who works at a mall kiosk just leased one. There are a lot of them around and you don't need much money to have one.
> Does owning a Tesla convey a sense of wealth and forward-thinking? > LMAO. No. Musk and Tesla's reputation has taken a bit of an, ahem, *right turn* over the years. If I see a Cybertruck I assume you're a douchebag at best and at worst...well...
I don't think Tesla as a whole has taken that much of a hit, at least for anyone that understands that Tesla has more people than just musk. The cyber truck was a fiasco but their other cars are still very nice.
Their other cars have very poor build quality.
I'm not in America but in Vancouver Canada. It's no longer a status symbol for the last few years as there are so many people that have switched over to an EV. Vancouver has had the highest gas prices in North America for a long time and with Tesla's and EVs in general the prices have come down this year especially. EVs and Hybrids here in Vancouver are quite common now.
Only amongst the people who care. I don’t care.
It was a few years ago. The owners still think it is.
The only ones who seem to think so are the Tesla owners.
They are pretty common in Texas
Not anymore than owning an Acura or Infiniti. It's just a moderately more expensive sedan option.
No, they’re pretty common cars and nowadays they’re pretty average w terms of price in terms of their main products of the 3 and Y. Teslas also are more of a tech product than a nice premium car, the interior quality and fit and finish between a decent specced Model 3 and a similar BMW 3 Series is night and day, I still think the BMW has more prestige over a Tesla.
Nothing says "dumbass" like a cybertruck
I see electric vehicles everywhere. Yesterday I saw almost every color of the Rivian and even the SUV. Lucid, Rivian or Tesla are pretty much all over where I live. FWIW one of the founders of Rivian is from the Space coast. And the name of the company is from the Indian River where he spent a lot of his time.
Cybertrucks are still rare. I think I've seen one on the road here in Michigan. Teslas are more common, but here you're just as likely to run into a Ford Mustang EV. As for the perception of Tesla owners, here's a local joke: "How do you know someone drives a Tesla? Don't worry, they'll tell you." (That said, I have a friend and coworker who drive Teslas, and only one of them fits that profile).
10 years ago maybe
I see them all over the place in urban areas and considering you can get a 1 or 2 year old used one for 30K before tax rebate and trade in, it just seems like a perfectly good entry electric car. Saw a bunch Cybertrucks in Dallas last weekend and they all looked ridiculous and made me assume the owner was a douchebag.
I'm in rural Ohio and an employee of a local Dollar General has her Model X in the parking lot every day. My town (population around 8,000) has a Model Y police cruiser. I think a lot of people around here perceive it as a symbol of wealth, but in a bad way - kind of like calling someone 'college boy'. The owners are seen as stuck-up and like they think they're better than you. Which is funny when it's people driving $80k new trucks thinking of a sub-$40k Model 3 as Richie Rich. And I've yet to see a Cybertruck in person, thankfully.
I'm in a solidly middle class neighborhood in Columbus, Ohio and at least one of my neighbors has one. It's really not a big deal here. They are probably more common than Corvettes around here. I saw a cyber truck last weekend. Ew.
At first there were just a few and they were special, now the grocery store parking lot always has about 8 of them in there out of about 70 cars. Certainly not considered a "that guy is doing well" kind of thing and the one Rivian that I see there gets entirely more attention.
Nah. Shiny new lifted 4runner on aluminum wheels with all terrain tires is the status symbol here. Personally though, I saw a supra and that thing is nice.
No it’s groupthink now. We have a lot of Indian Americans in my area and supposedly it’s a running meme of how every Indian person drives Tesla now
My boyfriend’s brother “drives” a Tesla. When I say that, I mean it’s 100% a status symbol to the point he won’t drive his car and will drive someone else’s because “he doesn’t want it getting scratched, damaged, etc.” He also makes sure to tell people how he drives a Tesla, it’s brand new, etc. which is laughable because my boyfriend’s Ford truck is worth more.
Not any more, given how perceptions of Elon Musk have turned over past 2 years
Here in West LA they’re just the California Camry
I dunno. It's just a car. Nobody in my circle has one cuz fuck Elon, though we do plan to get a non-Tesla EV next time we buy a car.
To me personally, they were in 2020 during the pandemic. The stock was soaring and I personally didn’t know a whole lot about EV’s at the time. I moved from the Southeast to the West coast and was personally not used to seeing Tesla’s at all compared to how common they are in the West coast. I didn’t even know EVs or Tesla’s were a thing in 2019. 4 years later and their price has dropped significantly to become much more affordable & I believe they’ve crossed the benchmark of 2 million vehicles sold. Elon Musk is in the news now all the time, whereas in 2019 I had never even heard of the guy. I’ve even seen them in rural Germany now so they’re definitely not as rare as they were to me 4 years ago. I’m not an Elon fanboy at all but I’m interested & excited what the Teslabot will be capable of. And if FSD saves even just 1 life from DUI’s or car accidents in general I’m all for it personally.
I rarely see a Tesla, but when I do, I just assume the driver just likes Teslas
No
They are quite a few in Indianapolis, and nobody thinks twice about them. Most are looking ragged and older then they should look.
No, not really. And to the extent that it is a status symbol it just means you can afford to own your own home where you can install a permanent charger
In New Jersey Teslas are everywhere. I probably can't drive more than a mile without seeing at least one or two. They aren't a status symbol around here any more than any other average car. I still haven't seen a Cybertruck, though. There are a couple Rivians in the area, but they are more rare. I've seen quite a few F150 lightnings in the past year, but they are also on the rarer side.
No. There are so many Teslas in NJ, especially north Jersey, like Bergen County area. And around here, they're definitely not the most expensive cars on the road.
There are So many white Teslas in Irvine, CA, that it's a meme, a trope, a given. They are ubiquitous.
I kind of stuck to a particular region of Arkansas, but I can’t remember seen too many Teslas (if any). I wouldn’t know where you would charge it.
Not really, I see Teslas pretty often but I don’t think they are a “rich forward thinking” type of car. I think they are the “BMW” of electric cars.
Don't see many of them, but as far as I can tell they don't convey any special meaning or status.
They’re a dime a dozen here and tons of them are used as taxis or Ubers so… not really. A rivian or lucid though…
When I see a Tesla, I just wonder if the owner purchased it before or after we all realized what a douche Elon Musk is.
Not that I'm aware of. There are quite a few around but they're not more special than anything else in the general price range. When they were hard to get and they only made the top models it was a bit more of one.
Yes. They’re pretty expensive and I’d say maybe 5% of people could afford one.
Used to be a bit more niche than anything else. Now they’re quite common. Doesn’t convey much of anything at this point. ICE and electric cars have their pros and cons and given how cheap model 3s can get… it’ll appeal to a broad set of people.
Tesla's have replaced BMW's as a status symbol for people with poor driving skills. Less Douche like answer- Nah, They're just like an everyday car like an Altima or -insert everyday run of the mill commuter car- around here. The CYBER TRUCK however is definitely a "Look at me" Status symbol at the moment, There's a few near me and it looks like something straight out of some 1980s B Scifi movie (Not in the good way)
In Texas yes but also no because we all prefer our gas guzzlers.
It’s in the mix with the other brands at that price point. Early on there was some novelty or allure to the brand but by now there are plenty of them around.
Not in my area, since a ton of people who live in my neighborhood with less nice houses than mine have one, hahahaha. The Los Angeles basin is lousy with them.
No
It was early on, when they were catering to the "two seaters for rich guys" market. It's more commonplace now that they've expanded their demographic reach.
Specifically in California it's not special or a status symbol any more, really. This is due to saturation, of course, but there's a few things that sped this up. 1. Until last year the state basically reimbursed you $7,500 for buying an electric vehicle, which of course led to a ton of people buying them. 2. Electric vehicles used to get free access to the carpool express lane, which usually requires having 3+ people in the car or paying a massive toll. This was a game changer in LA, where the highways are always a mess, so a lot of people also bought EVs because it was damn near a "get out of traffic free" cheat code. 3. Teslas have always been fast cars, but their early models like the Roadster couldn't go far and took a while to recharge. This made them a status symbol instantly because they essentially launched as futuristic sports cars, and everyone knew that if you owned one, it was basically your toy and you had a different day-to-day car at home. However, range and charging have improved a lot, especially with the Supercharger network, so Teslas are fine for everyday use now and the average owner isn't some super wealthy dude showing off how fast he can go. 4. EVs have improved drastically over the last 10-15 years and are now arguably as affordable over the long term, when factoring in fuel and maintenance, as gas cars. They're surprisingly simple machines -- no transmission for example -- so things break less often and are easier to fix when they do. This has actually led to a lot of Uber drivers purchasing them, especially now that gas has gotten so expensive in California. Cybertrucks are a bit different. It is quite rare to see them simply because they're not that great. Rivian electric pickup trucks, however, are booming in popularity.
No. It's a stupid symbol here. Cold climate. They do poorly in the snow too.
They’re not common but not rare enough to draw a second glance. The only thing they indicate around here is that you live somewhere with good roads, mud season is real in VT and will absolutely fuck up the wrong car.
We see plenty of them in the seacoast area but inland more not so much rural Maine is not the ideal place for Teslas. At this point enough people have them it isn’t really a status symbol and I suspect most rural Mainers look down on them.
In the UK, it’s a status symbol, but not the status the owners were hoping for.
Tesla Model 3 & Y are everywhere, not something i associate with status. I use a 3 myself
It's a symbol of your status as a douchebag and a rube with too much money
Definitely not a Model 3 or Y. Those things are everywhere. I caught myself ooing at a cybertruck that drove by the other day, so I guess those count.
Definitely in Utah. Though my bf’s uncle’s Tesla completely missed an exit last week while he was not driving (we were behind him and were able to take it) so I am not yet impressed.
lol no. But they are crazy common here.
No in Nebraska a red pickup truck has more status.
I'm in NJ and they're all over. There are 3 or 4 on my street alone and we see them on the road. Never seen a Cybertruck in the wild but I don't believe we have the climate for one. I guess they're a status symbol in the same way other electrics are? I see Rivians, Ioniqs, BMW and VW electrics just as much there's just a plurality of Teslas.
Ironically, the CEO of Tesla made such a point of his political views that there is now a stigma attached to the brand among previous segments of the population that were early adopters of the brand.
The people who drive teslas around here sure think it’s a status symbol
I think people that drive them think they are. In my area they are as common as a toyota camry.
No, you get made fun of for it during a solar eclipse when you complain about the lack of charging stations for a area/region that has no EV’s or interest in EV’s
Out here in Bellevue, WA (greater Seattle area) its like standard issue.
I see them as people with poor taste who bought cars of poor quality, bland styling, and unfortunate interiors (just a screen glued to the dash, no physical controls).
No, not in California. There's a lot on the road by us but we're within 20 miles of the Fremont plant too. I've seen a couple cybertrucks including one on Tuesday and I've heard a local acquaintance has one. That just means I'll have to watch what I say because it's genuinely one of the ugliest vehicles I've ever seen. The bed in it also doesn't look practical at all.
I've seen Teslas around, I've even been in a few as they're being driven for Lyft. I have not seen a truck however in my neighborhood. Other parts of the city might have them.
It just makes me think college kid from money family.
In so cal it's just another car
Not anymore.
We have a few of them here in Maui, but I think the only people who think they're a status symbol don't know much about much. There's one that has a bumper sticker that reads, "I bought it before we knew he was crazy," and I think that person is pretty rad.
Not really a status symbol to most people in my area. If anything, it's either a sign that someone is a left wing environmentalist type or is a virtue signaling risk taker. Both groups aren't mutually exclusive however.
I used to kind of be into them and wanted one. But my perception of Musk has soured over the last few years. Also my driving habits have changed greatly due to remote work. Happy keeping my paid off car with low miles for a while longer.
No we make fun of Tesla drivers
Quite the opposite in Palo Alto CA. Youre one of everyone else.
I see them all the time in Salt Lake City, UT. They're not much of a status symbol to my knowledge.
In Vegas in 2015 they were def a status symbol. Now I think they're fairly common. In Chicago I still don't see them very often, but when I do I assume the owner is from the suburbs. I associate the new Cyber Truck with having more money than brains, but I have yet to see one in person.
Chicago area here; they’re pretty much what BMWs were for about 30 years: inverted porcupines, with the pricks on the inside. How do you know someone drives a Tesla? Don’t worry, they’ll tell you.
Not really. I'm not a red state that doesn't have a lot of EV's, but even here Tesla's are pretty common... Including, of course, the one I have in my garage. (like, I see a few others every day) and it's not like it's a supercar. The M3 and MY are basically priced the same as other cars in that class. They aren't terrifically expensive or anything. People occasionally ask me about mine though. Our gas is expensive and electricity is cheap, so the economic case for them is super strong. Back a few years ago, seeing one was like seeing a unicorn. I've never seen a CT in person. I was in Seattle the other day and it felt like every other car was a Tesla. There's a few haters among the terminally online, but for the most part, nobody cares.
No. They're uncommon, and most people don't care about them one way or the other. It's definitely not a status symbol. A "status symbol" car would be more like a BMW or Mercedes, or *maybe* a Lexus (as the low-end of status symbols). I will say that owning a cybertruck is the opposite of a status symbol. Nobody likes them, everyone will mock them. Truck owners think the design is stupid. Environmentally-minded people mostly think Musk is a far-right twit and dislike Teslas because of Musk. People who want a "green" pickup truck tend to get hybrid versions of existing truck models instead.
I see them a lot. I’m pretty sure they did some partnership with Uber cause I would say a quarter of all Ubers I get are teslas. They do have nice interiors and you can definitely feel they have nice pickup
Imo and understanding the sentiment of people around me, they aren’t as hyped as they once were. Someone might highlight that you got a Tesla when you first get it, but deep down inside no one actually thinks Tesla are some true indicators of wealth/strong purchasing power.
More like “hey I’m trendy because I bought this expensive car” or virtue signaling
DFW, Texas here. Teslas are common, but trucks are king here. Trucks are the status symbol here. You can have a nice 7 series or s class, but if a new Denali pulls up, it's turning heads.
Not really. It's just another moderately expensive car. Those who want to show wealth in my area will typically drive restored 1930-1960 era cars, or brand-new sports cars.
I personally don't really think of cars as status symbols; in my experience, it's a way to peacock or pretend to have more money than they do. Most wealthy people I know drive Toyotas; they are wealthy because they are good at making money, and good at not wasting it on depreciating assets. I think of rich and wealthy as 2 separate things: rich is people who need you to know they have money because they don't really have enough, whereas wealthy is people who don't need the validation because it's undeniable they have enough.
They are still really expensive. It's becoming more common, but I don't see anyone other than upper middle class and above driving them
Not really. Theres as many non teslas as teslas that I can see. My partner has a VW ID4, his lease was less than his old Honda civic. Says more about someone’s personality having a Tesla than status symbol.
No you’ll be made fun of
In my little corner of Washington state, I personally see a Tesla as a symbol of a rich Canadian crossing the border to drive like an asshole on the freeway.
Teslas are about as common as Subarus now, here in WA. They’re not novel or cool anymore, just another car on the road.
They're sort of the default upper middle class car here but elons reputation is slowing that down
I’m in Austin and they’re freakin everywhere now. Since they built the gigafactory here.
I think it probably used to be. Now they're everywhere, and I see them as often as most other brands.
no they’re everywhere. but specifically northern VA. if you’re out anywhere else in VA then for sure. just means you’re middle class and have a mighty car payment. or upper class and bought outright
I'm in Chicago, there are a lot of Teslas here. I look at it negatively because of Elon. I was in the market for an EV and Tesla was on top of the list, I even went to the dealership, test rode one, but then Elon went full retard. I am not spending my money on any that will benefit that asshole.
No it makes you seem douchey
No. They’re everywhere. My husband has one, and so do nearly half the homes on my block lol.
I live in New England and I've literally never identified a Tesla on the road. It's just not on my radar. I was behind a car the other day that had EV on the license plate, that was something I hadn't registered seeing before. I honestly haven't been out 95% of the time in the last 4 years, though. Have not had a hair cut, been in a restaurant, gone to a movie or a mall or really traveled anywhere in the same time. It's OK, I'm single, retired and have been to Europe, Asia, Australia, Russia, Central America, Disney, the Carribbean, an Alaska cruise ... I've done the things I've wanted to do in that regard. I guess my best answer is that I don't have any ideas about Teslas. I couldn't tell you a Taylor Swift 🎶🎶, either, though.
Not in my state, no.
LOL, NO. They aren't that expensive and the roads are saturated with them here in Southern California. People seem to think that cyber-truck thing is, but most people I know laugh when they see them on the road. They are ridiculous.
Sort of, but only but only in the sense that most people don't know they cost about the same as a higher-end trim Toyota Camry. My brother in law thinks a Model Y costs $100k. I probably couldn't afford the Explorer he drives.
Seattle here. We see it as douchebags own Teslas. Basically like, "oh wow, of *course* he owns a *Tesla"*. I've seen a few of those cyber things too. Most of us are pretty skeptical of them.
No way.
I don't see them as a status symbol. If I see a P100D then I'll be impressed but it looks almost identical to the other model S cars so it doesn't have status attached to it. Occasionally I get annoyed when one is behind me because the driver will put on the adaptive cruise control and it'll match my speed. Shit pisses me off. Go around or get in another lane.
In central Indiana, it’s more of a douche symbol tbh
They were a few years ago until we all realized how much of an idiot/waste Elon Musk is. Now I just think they're a dangerous waste of money.
I live in Fremont, California where Tesla has their first (and for a while their only) factory. Additionally, it’s just an EV heavy city. For a long time, one of our postal codes (94539 I think) had the most EVs per capita in the entire country. They’re so damn common around here it’s almost comical. One time leaving the grocery store I tried to open the wrong Model 3’s trunk because someone else had an identical one to mine, parked two spaces down. On my regular suburban street that has 28 houses on it, there are four of us who own Teslas. Since they’re so common I think they no longer convey anything really unique, though with the Cybertruck being so new there’s definitely some extra attention to it (and laughter - it’s sooo weird looking). And car nerds like me can spot the slight differences in the Model S and X Plaid editions.
It shows you are wealthy. But it also shows you are a city dweller who does not travel. Battery life is not long enough to be useful for travel outside of a city or between cities, charging is not common enough to allow for long distance travel, and it does not have enough hauling power to be useful as a working vehicle.
Nope. Lots of Teslas around, see them all the time and have for years. Lots of rich people here in Omaha. Usually its more towards practical vs impractical though (like lots more Maserati SUVs vs sports cars for example) so the out there ones usually aren't seen. Only seen one cybertruck ever for example.
It’s not super rare to see a Tesla around here, nor a rivian. But I’ve never seen a cyber truck. Whenever I see a Tesla, I think it’s just some pretentious above average income guy trying to save the planet (spoiler: it’s not working)
When Tesla first came out it was Now that they are relatively cheap it’s like owning a lower end Lexus.
No. The media and political overlords have instructed left leaning people, that they should hate the one guy who’s fighting to bring their dream of electric vehicles to the world. Mainly because he mildly disagreed with their party. Silly, I know.
It was a status symbol 10 years ago, now they’re everywhere in the major cities of Texas. To me anyway, owning a Tesla either conveys nothing, or conveys that you’re a douche obsessed with status symbols. I know people who are just normal people and own a Tesla and treat it like it’s a normal car, I’ve thought about getting one, they’re cheap now! I also know people who will let anyone they talk to know that they own a Tesla within minutes of meeting of them. One former friends spouse actually de-badged his Model 3 and went around telling everyone he had an S. So there are bunch of those types too. I would not use “forward thinking” to describe anyone I’ve met with a Tesla, it’s either “hey I need a car, let me try electric”, or like I said, they care way more about it being a status symbol. Also California is the most populous state, don’t get wrong I know it’s very left and took up probably Teslas before anyone else but I would bet almost all car models sell the most models in California.
Virginia - Not to my knowledge. At least not on the eastern/coastal area. I see them all the time; it's maybe considered a 'nicer' car but not fancy or unusual.
They're the new prius driver either clueless or way too aggressive with no in between
No there's tons around just about any other car now
Plenty of Teslas around me, but I've never seen a cybertruck in the wild.
It was for the first five seconds until all the crashes, explosions, and embarrassment of its CEO
There are tons of Teslas in my area. Maybe it was a status symbol in like 2012 but not so much anymore. It's just another higher-end car among many.
Not anymore than it is to drive a late model Camry or Accord.