A fire at a Tesla dealership on the outskirts of Rome on Monday morning destroyed 17 cars, with no injuries reported. Italian authorities are investigating the cause of the blaze and considering possible arson. The incident follows a string of reports of Tesla vehicles being vandalized and defaced across Italy and beyond.
In recent weeks, several Tesla dealerships in Italy have been targeted by anti-Elon Musk protests, while environmental groups in Milan have also taken action against Tesla locations. The vandalism includes spray-painted messages criticizing Musk’s business practices.
Other countries, including France and parts of the US, have reported similar incidents involving Tesla vandalism. In response to concerns over government job cuts by Elon Musk, protesters have organized peaceful demonstrations outside Tesla locations in several states.
An investigation into a fire at another Tesla dealership in northern Rome last week found evidence pointing to an electrical fault as the cause, but it is unclear if that incident was related to the current blaze. The Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, has not commented on the latest vandalism.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/03/31/europe/tesla-cars-fire-rome-intl/index.html