It’s okay to boycott Tesla products.
If Elon Musk’s tweets make your teeth itch, if his politics repulse you, or if his general vibe just gives you the ick, fair enough. Buying something is emotional and if seeing a Tesla logo in your garage would make you miserable, you shouldn’t buy one.
But trying to stop a Tesla facility in Adelaide that will:
- reduce waste by giving batteries a second life,
- create exactly the kind of high-value jobs this city needs,
- and clean up contaminated land that’s sat idle for decades…
…because of this one objectionable man?
There are plenty of good reasons to take a stand against Elon’s business interests, but in the case of this project, there are even better reasons to support it.
The site of the proposed Tesla facility in the south of Adelaide.
A Win For Jobs And The Environment
Here’s the deal: Tesla wants to build a battery refurbishment facility at the old Mitsubishi site in Tonsley, about 4 km from my house. The plan is to inspect, test, and repurpose used batteries from EVs and Powerwalls, rather than scrapping them. Along the way, they’ll remediate the site and hire skilled workers in a city that needs both.
The backlash has been huge. Over 200 public objections (95% of submissions) and a fired-up crowd at a recent public meeting. Some raised legitimate concerns – noise, traffic, zoning – which deserve proper scrutiny.
But much of the outrage is not about the project itself. You can see it in the signs, the comments, the tone: they’re not just anti-industrial land use.
They’re anti-Tesla. And let’s be honest, that’s really just code for anti-Elon.
Tesla Is More Than One Man
I get it. I don’t like Elon either. I think he’s a deeply unpleasant bloke, and there’s good reasons to stand up to his agenda. But Tesla isn’t just Elon. It’s thousands of engineers, designers, and workers trying to make energy cleaner and transport smarter.
This is exactly the kind of facility Adelaide should want: low emissions, high-tech, future-focused and job-creating.
If South Australia had blocked Tesla’s Hornsdale Big Battery because people didn’t like the CEO, we’d have missed out on a world-first project that slashed prices, improved grid reliability, and sparked global copycats.
Hate Elon if you want. Boycott the cars, the batteries, the brand.
But don’t block the work. Don’t let your opposition to the bad things Elon is up to derail progress on a positive project.
This isn’t about protecting Adelaide from Elon Musk. It’s about letting Adelaide get on with building the future.
About Finn Peacock
RSS - Posts
Totally agree on both your comments regarding the project and the man himself.
People saying “trees not Tesla’s” it’s an old factory on contaminated land, not the Botanic gardens.
Hear hear. And buy Tesla, one of the few Western companies taking the energy transition and climate change seriously. I’ve worked for organisations with terrible CEOs, I never saw it as a reason to target the company itself. But everything is personal in social media society.
Tesla is Musk and Musk aligned himself with Trump, the ultimate climate change denier, drill baby drill fracking fan. Many CEOs and major shareholders are anonymous but Musk has always been the identity of the brand. Tesla stock has been wildly overvalued making Musk the richest man in the World on paper for years. I think the saying ‘Live by the sword, die by the sword’ is appropriate to Musk and Tesla.
This is a ridiculous commentary… Elon Musk owns less than 13% of Tesla….
The cars as a symbol of Elons politics is a stupid and illogical premise.
Dont agree with his politics? Fine… but to tar the cars with a stigma because of it is the height of stupidity…
Without Tesla pushing the bounds of technology, electric cars wouldnt exist as they do now. In fact the tech lead would be Chinese.
If you are prepared for the auto industry to be dominated by Chinese industry like it is for most other manufacturered goods. Keep it up you dummies…
Well said Finn. I am a resident of Marion in SA and am in favour of the development even though I dislike Musk. I plan my next car to be an EV and would still consider Tesla. The new use, remediation and jobs make sense for this land and although some trees will be removed Marion has a very strong tree planting programme throughout its council area.
Finn, I find it hard to believe YOU make a comment “bad things” if you think bad things like rolling back of the waste of government resourses/money is a bad thing.
The USA is in 37 trillion dollars of debt, but you demonize someone for taking some action agaInst it.
Its people who think this is wrong that support an top heavy public service like we have in Australia where unemployment is controlled by increases in the size of the public service.
Our employment rate is fake. Take out public service growth. And unemployment is significantly worse…
Its all smoke and mirrors by the federal goverment….
The USA is in 37 trillion dollars of debt Yes that is a fact. As is it is also a fact that the rich do not pay their fair share and Tax in the US is considered wage theft. Tax is used to pay for roads , and other social infrastructure so long as political on either side in the USA refuses to properly collect tax it will always have a tax issue – right now orange Jesus is giving billionaires a much needed tax break will the poor lose food stamps 37 trillion dollars of debt will grow and grow its the American way.
You are wrong on several things – it appears that Musk and and band of tech boys at DOGE have actually cost the American taxpayer more than they’ve saved, but who would know, it’s all secret. The latest bill introduced by Republicans will actually increase the debt by 3 or 4 trillion, so they obviously don’t care about that.
And here in Australia, the Labor government got rid of 55,000 “consultants”, and replaced them with 33,000 actual public servants.
On the point of this post, if people don’t want any products associated with Musk, maybe he shouldn’t be so toxic.
I have no comment on the man.
My comment is on the business plan – if its a good plan can it be done by Australians. Funds raised by Australians and jobs for Australians?
Ah, another Tesla blog, thought we may have seen the last of them after the previous one.
This project should go ahead, but disappointing if it is only for Tesla battery products ??
That seems to be hinted at in the lower section of the article.
And please, don’t turn off comments when people start pushing their agendas like the last article, where some of perpetually offended crowd got their backs up and insult other bloggers, without a chance for reply / debate (looking at you Koi).
You post a blog article, expect the comments.
True, let him build his facility, it is something we do need.
However I would certainly be very upset if any govenrment money or tax breaks went his way to set it up.
Just dont expect me to make use of his products,
Elon has changed and he’s now alienating the very people who originally supported him and the vision for a clean energy future.
I really loathe what he has become and the people he now represents. They are the opposite of Musk’s original plan.
And yet, I’ve just taken delivery of a model Y Juniper, which is just fabulous. I tried to buy a BYD or Xpeng, or BMW or any other EV, but they didn’t measure up as a total value, performance and efficiency package.
Tesla began without Musk. He didn’t create Tesla and Tesla is a business that will eventually continue without him. There are 100,000 talented and dedicated people working very hard to improve what is the industry leading product. China will surely overtake Tesla in the next year or two but it’s still not demonstrably better. The less said about the appalling Cybertruck the better.
Tesla as a business is also doing great things with its grid scale batteries. Powerwall, not so much.
Great points Finn. I am an ex South Aussie with family links to that general area of town.
I loathe Elon Musk, his politics, his DOGE actions, his support for the Trump administration and his attitudes towards so many things. I don’t like Tesla cars and their market approach for various reasons and would never buy one. I’ll buy an EV though.
I recognise the advances that Tesla made in moving EVs into the mainstream and developing battery technology. The Chinese may have moved ahead of Tesla but their people deserve credit for what they have achieved.
The Tesla Battery was a major step forward for battery use in our grid management. Elon and the SA Government deserve recognition for taking that leap forward and the stimulus that provided to the role of batteries in the grid.
They both deserve credit for this project. It is a WIN/WIN for all. People should put aside their distaste for Musk and support the importance of this project.
I totally agree with you Finn. People have to separate their emotions and look to the common good. I remember a talk by Lee Kwan Yeu ( apologies for the spelling) about how Singaporians were expected to use as there mantra. The good of the country and your fellow man comes first then yourself. We are stuck with batteries now so a refurbishment facility Wether it be Tesla or someone else has to serve the common good.
Musk holds 12.8% of Tesla. Hence boycotting Tesla hurts the other 87% ownership as well.
Tesla should appoint a new CEO. Musk is too damaged to continue. However, this has to be done by a shareholder revolt from the 87% because Musk has stacked the board.
Tesla is one of the few car companies in the world that only makes electric cars. There is no cross subsiding of its ICE vehicles because it does not make any.
The Tesla brand needs to be separated from Elon the person. While this directly helped Tesla become the giant it is, Elon’s antics for attention and over inflated in a sense saviour complex is tanking his consumer products. The brand needs to be allowed to stand and outgrow him as it is much too intertwined. Given his loose attitude by his own choice painting a target on his own back many times, just more than ever, by his more recent actions, he makes the investment in Tesla a very high risk.
It is not the consumer that needs to get out of Tesla’s way. It is Elon that needs to get out of Tesla’s way!
“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely” Lord Acton
Also see, John DeLorean’s rise and fall.
Much of the protests are about approving a business decision that ultimately rewards the world’s richest man who has clearly aligned himself with a fascist doctrine and regime. For Pete’s sake, fascist salutes, refusal to allow other EV vehicles into the US, removal of environmental protections and investment. The Hornsdale battery(an excellent example and innovation for the rest of Australia) was approved and built before Elon’s true vision and values were revealed publicly. It bugs me that I have Tesla batteries bought before I knew these values – they now sport stickers with “Eco friendly, not Elon friendly.” I cannot afford to replace them and doing so would not be environmentally friendly either. For sure let’s encourage and actively seek the establishment of a battery refurbishment business on that site for all the good reasons that have been espoused but make it one which accepts all manufacturers, not just Tesla, and one that does not support such hateful values.
or put a sticker on it
Elon is autistic and he is an awkward speaker, but what agenda of his offends you? From my perspective everything he does is to benefit society
You’re right Finn, Tesla is much more than it’s owner.
Let’s not lose sight of the bigger picture
Well said Finn. Emotion should not overcome logic and facts.
Elon may be a loathsome, despicable person, but I wish he were building it here in WA instead.
As you’ve explained, don’t let one odious individual cloud your judgement.
Seems like the council has ignored all the irrelevant objections. If so, that is how it should be.
I do find it interesting how Musk was the golden boy of the Left for many years, but as they veered ever further Left, and Musk got left behind (no pun intended) he became something of a pariah, especially when he opted to support Trump as the democratic option for president. But he hasn’t changed he’s still an ADHD teenager.
An article elsewhere said 897 out of nearly 1,000 were opposed to the Tesla facility. The problem is, as this piece notes, most are anti-Musk. If it were a Chinese facility going in, how many would protest?
The reality is the land is a toxic wasteland that’s been closed to the public for a decade, not true greenspace. To the north i.e. over the fence, is TAFE, Flinders University, and assorted companies and possibly light industry. To the east is more factory or industry type structures. And south of Sturt Rd is the main Flinders campus which is huge …
As for traffic, the site is 5 minutes from the Southern Expressway. How much more appropriate can you get?
I disagree. Tesla and Elon aren’t doing this for the environment or to create jobs. The jobs are a means to make money. Elon would replace them with robots and AI if he could. Tesla and Elon are building this to make money. Elon is the main beneficiary if Tesla succeeds and makes money because he owns a massive chunk of Tesla and his wealth is tied to Tesla. In this case the battery recycling plant is the product. The objections are boycotting the product
He isn’t the main beneficiary. He only owns 13% of Tesla. There are many investment companies that have a larger share than him…
Musk is the only Western CEO serious about doing something to change almost anything, even government for the better. His methods are no doubt unorthodox if not sensational. I for one scratch my head at some of his antics but you can’t doubt his ability to raise money and make stuff that makes serious money.
Musk has successful and highly profitable companies, Tesla, Space X & Xai which are all pushing the boundaries of human endeavour for humanity’s benefit. In due course when he is old he will offload his wealth to charitable institutions as he can’t take it with him nor his legacies.
So look past the politics, which is only a bump in the road, to see the greater human endeavours that his people, 100, 000 plus, are being empowered to achieve. Remember we all are happily buying today Volkswagens and Toyota, all created by truly evil people/regimes during WW2 yet think nothing of it. Or buying stuff from China from forced Labor camps imposed on Muslims or genocide on Tibetans.
Whatever may be said against Elon Musk, he did put EVs on the map in the USA and Tesla does produce and maintain high quality cars and batteries.