Last weekend, I found myself at a gig in Adelaide watching “The Smythes” – a tribute band to The Smiths. As I stood there with my Coopers enjoying “There Is A Light That Never Goes Out”, I thought of the blackout protection I enjoy thanks to my Powerwall 2.
Yes even at gigs, I can’t help thinking about bloody solar energy.
Then it struck me: here I was, gleefully singing along to songs that still bring immense joy in 2025, while their original creator, The Smiths’ frontman Morrissey, has become someone whose views I can’t stomach.
This is the same Morrissey who in 2019 performed wearing a far-right For Britain badge and claimed: “everyone ultimately prefers their own race.”
Tribute act The Smythes at The Gov, Adelaide Feb 15 2024.
Many Aussie consumers are wrestling with a similar reality: Tesla makes exceptional products that have genuinely accelerated the world’s electrification, but Elon Musk’s behaviour has become increasingly difficult to defend. The man who once teared up when he learned of energy poverty in Australia now spends his days spreading conspiracy theories and making inflammatory statements without bothering to check their accuracy or worry about the human consequences.
So, what’s a conscientious Australian energy nerd to do?
First up, it’s perfectly okay to loathe Elon and love Tesla. We progressives often get caught between being right and being effective. Yes, Musk may have taken too much credit from the brilliant engineers who built these products. Yes, his constant ‘war mode’ state is hard to stomach. But it’s hard to deny that without Tesla’s innovation, we wouldn’t have the EV market we have today. Tangible progress often comes from imperfect vessels.
Equally, it’s absolutely valid to boycott Tesla because you can’t bear the thought of adding to Musk’s wealth.
Personally, I’m living this dilemma. I own two Teslas and a Powerwall; they’re great. But would I buy another Tesla energy product while Elon’s at the helm? Probably not. The competition has finally caught up, and there’s enough choice that the home energy storage market no longer needs Tesla to thrive.
After years of dominating the best battery category in our Installers’ Choice Awards, Tesla this year had to share the limelight with Sungrow — with Sigenergy not far behind.
Tesla App vs. SigEnergy App. Tesla has certainly inspired other brands to up their game.
Cars, though? That’s trickier. As a cyclist who’s lost dear friends to car accidents and faces weekly near-misses with human drivers, I’m desperate to see autonomous vehicles become reality. I believe Tesla, for all its faults, is leading this race. Their autonomous driving technology could save millions of lives.
So here I am, still enjoying my Smiths playlist while refusing to buy Morrissey’s solo work. Still driving my Tesla while cringing at Elon’s latest tweets. Sometimes progress comes packaged with paradox, and that’s okay. What matters is that we keep moving forward, preferably in a sun-powered EV — whoever makes it.
About Finn Peacock
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How can you loathe a man that is helping to sort out the world in a good way?
I can thinks of tens of ways and that is more than enough.
Going to Mars – you have to be joking but it make Musk a fortune!!!
Musk has long since stopped being any sort of positive influence. Please see my reply comment below. In any case, we find (as a US solar EPC/contractor) that Tesla has stopped being near the top of well designed and cost-effective PV/BESS products. There are several much better products out there.
I think the article is very reasoned. I would be more explicit. Elon is a a contemporary fascist. His method of “sorting out the world” is to support a neo fascist party in Germany, complete Nazi salutes at Trump’s inauguration to signal his fascist boys and girls to be at the ready. Further Steve Bannon, his fascist-in- arms also completed a nazi salute at another conference. Is that clear enough ? These types of people are primed to brutally suppress any opposition. And remember Trump cannot be prosecuted for any actions in office. And he has made it very clear he will pardon anyone, and any criminal that follows his orders. This is America failing. I think we need to refuse to purchase any products from this man until the shareholders remove him from Tesla. This is the best way to support those stellar engineers.
Musk is pure filth.
I wouldn’t give him the sheet off my shoes.
The Man is a multi Billionaire , do you really think he cares about “saving the planet ” or if your Tesla EV loses 50% value ?
When does an ideology start becoming a religion? When does a religion become a cult?
Food for thought.
Lots of friends of mine love Volkswagens – but I don’t think any support the radical views of its ‘creator’.
I’d be more upset about VW’s massive and deliberate lying and cheating in the engine emissions area than the fact the company was around and trying to survive in Germany in the 30’s and 40’s.
I am sorry what – sacking tens of thousand’s of people with little regards to experience or skills. Sacking workings safe guarding nuclear weapons the having to rehire them …..that kind of helping to sort out the world iis destructive not constructive.
Smart …sure he is a trending Nazi that too.
Batteries good but.
Lots of friends of mine love Volkswagens – but I don’t think any support the radical views of its ‘creator’. I agree however the gig difference is that a sufficient period of time has elapsed so that those that were involved WW11 are for the most part deceased.
The younger generation know only what Tic Toc ells them.
Musk is a dangerous man and time will tell if I am right and I hope to be 100% wrong.
yeah nah.
I wouldn’t touch a Tesla product with a 10 foot pole.
Remember back in 2018 his carrying on like a 2 bob watch and calling that bloke that rescued the kids from the caves a paedophile?
Also in 2018 he ran foul of the SEC who forced him out of the Chairmans job at Tesla for 3 years and fined him 20 million?
Bet that was before most people in Australia bought their Tesla products.
He hasn’t changed, people are just noticing his behaviour more these days.
If there was a magnificent product produced by slave labour…. should I buy it?
While it seems a number of posters would, I believe if we have no morality we are simply sophisticated animals.
While many animals exhibit endearing mutual support characteristics, many others have behaviours that would horrify us in humans, like eating their own.
Many people sometimes temporarily turn a blind eye to their conscience (eg a scrape in the parking lot, a deliberate fart in a lift… but generally only to occasional relatively insignificant things.
If one is that poverty stricken that survival demands morals are routinely overlooked…. then you aren’t in the market for solar products.
Musk’s recent actions are horrifying, apparently intent on dismantling the existing american social system, to his immense benefit…. somewhat akin to the russian oligarch political system, where the common masses are severely disadvantaged.
If you deliberately overlook morality issues in daily life, I believe you are a psychopath. While many people with personality disorders deserve some sympathy and understanding…. psycopaths do not…. it encourages harmful manipulative behaviour.
Mussolini was a buffoonish psychopath that caused immense harm to the people of italy and others. His rise to power and actions have very disturbing parallels in america. I suspect some here would happily stand by wordlessly if they were transported back to the time of his rise in power.
Totally agree. I own a Tesla, 2 powerwalls and Tesla shares, yet I’m in the same bind. I used to admire Musk and now I can’t stand him. Do I sell my Tesla shares because of comments made by the CEO who owns less than 20% of the company? But then the is the actions of say Toyota, who don’t make public comments but behind the scenes are doing everything they can to stop EVs and reductions in ICE emissions
Just checking my source – Toyota is advancing a solid state battery.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0nLYEc6sTk
Not sure why you think that are against EV development
Hi Steven,
Toyota squandered a lead created by hybrids and went heavily into hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, without investing in the filling infrastructure.
Now that hydrogen has failed, they’re fighting a rear guard action. Trying desperately to slow the EV market while they come up with something they can sell which isn’t a petrol Camry or Diesel Hilux.
Toyota has been campaigning to influence Australia’s proposed New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES), which aims to reduce vehicle emissions and accelerate the transition to electric vehicles. While Toyota publicly supports the introduction of fuel efficiency standards, it has called for delays and changes, arguing that the current timeline is too aggressive for large SUVs and light commercial vehicles. The company has also suggested passing emissions fines onto consumers rather than adapting its product lineup.
Additionally, Toyota has been linked to campaigns through the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) to slow Australia’s EV transition by promoting loopholes like “super credits” and favoring hybrids over fully electric vehicles.
https://thedriven.io/2023/02/06/toyota-accused-of-trying-to-keep-australia-stuck-in-petrol-powered-dark-ages/?utm_source=perplexity
Living this exact same thing right now Finn! People I know aghast I bought a Tesla, but I said for the integrated home energy solution (with the Powerwall too), and the incredible efficiency of the vehicle plus the access to the Supercharger network, and the brilliant software, it couldn’t be bettered. And I also live in a regional area, so the requirement for very little servicing is brilliant.
I often say to incredulous friends, what did you think of Boris Johnson? Many of them couldn’t stand him. So I ask them did they boycott the UK, when Johnson was the PM there? No, of course not. Similarly many friends drive VWs, and I ask them if it matters to them that the Nazis created VW? Never even occurred to them.
I refuse to punish the 130,000 brilliant people working at Tesla just because their CEO. I’ve worked for brilliant companies with appalling CEOs, and would have been devastated if the brilliant people in those companies were punished because of who was in charge.
Well Nick your position of “I refuse to punish the 130,000 brilliant people working at Tesla just because their CEO” is admirable however Musk is responsible for the sacking of 6000 Tesla workers and by the time he has ripped through the US government the expectations are another 500,000 to 1,000,000 will loses their job.
Tesla workers are not to blame for the CEO, I bet the 6,000 that were given 10 minutes notice wished they got the 24 hrs notice Twitter workers got when he axed those jobs which kept misinformation to a minimum.
Musk stinks.
My wife abhors the man and what he stands for and for sure it is a factor for future purchase decisions. We may at one time have considered Tesla. No more.
We are moving to a new home soon, it has no solar PV or battery (it does have existing solar thermal systems for water and pool heating). I will be putting in PV and battery. There’s zero chance it will be a Tesla product. We also have a non-Tesla EV.
The only Tesla concession we make is very occasional highway DC fast charging and use of NSW Govt sponsored Tesla Superchargers. At least in that case the energy supplied is made here.
I understand why you would think this, but then you also have to ask about the competing products you will be purchasing. Is it ok that the companies are ultimately controlled by communist China, who commits atrocities against people every day, has total disregard for international law (and the list is long, from territorial to IP protection to dangerous military actions). It not as black and white as it may seem. Plus you are still ok with using Tesla superchargers (only partially funded by the govt) and paying them for power from which they do earn income, because that just happens to benefit you. Perhaps a tad hypocritical
I should point out that the US has abandoned the high ground due to Presidents Musk & Trump. Our aggressive behavior towards our neighbors, siding with Putin over Europe and Ukraine, rounding up and putting in Gitmo immigrants who’s crime was trying to find a better life, taking an axe to the very institutions there to protect us from the rich and powerful, turning our backs on a hundred years of science and public health progress, and siding with the fossil fuel cartels against our children’s’ futures, is making us little better than China, and a lot more hypocritical.
No one said such choices are rational, but my wife will not entertain a purchase from Tesla – that’s totally down to the Musk factor. He is destroying democratic institutions, is openly racist and misogynist, extorting Ukraine and the American public, so it’s hardly a surprise he is loathed by many.
As for China, pretty much every product we purchase has Chinese content, so it’s an impossible task to eliminate those. All Tesla cars sold here are made in China, so there is that.
As to Superchargers, they are a loss making venture so I’m less concerned about them. It’s a shame that the rest of the charging networks are so crap. Fortunately we don’t need to use them often.
Musk is a terrible person, I agree.
Its a hard thing to do, stand by your principles, especially when its convenient not to.
“The only Tesla concession we make is very occasional highway DC fast charging and use of NSW Govt sponsored Tesla Superchargers”
Tesla batteries and EVs have no significant technical appeal, and are uncompetitive, I think. Elon’s mental, social, and ethical decline is a mere irritation, and none of my business, really. Trump’s decline will precipitate USA’s fall from 1st rank, diversify trade away from them, at high speed in Canada now, and even unite the EU militarily … eventually. (My rellies in Denmark are now stockpiling water supplies for two weeks, and iodine tablets.)
My 46 kWh of EVE prismatic cell DIY LiFePO₄ batteries cost only $18k with three nifty Jikong BMSs. OK, there was at least one MPPT and battery inverter to add, but you’re still under half price compared to Tesla. The “automotive grade” cells are set to outlast me, so greater expense would be unwarranted. Rackmountable assembled batteries with BMS are competitive now, even if you shy away from $1600 for 5 kWh, and take $2700 for for 5 kWH, for greater peace of mind.
The MG4 EV sells at around $33k now, cheaper than a Toyota Corolla, I’m told. And 100% off-grid solar EV charging amplifies the saving with every km driven. Supporting our major trading partner is easy when their EV technology is world-beating in terms of bang for buck, and styling is better. OK, China is beginning to nibble at reclaiming bits of Eastern Siberia, taken from them by Russia, but they’re not threatening to invade Greenland, Gaza, Canada, and Mexico, and withdraw from NATO. They’re also doing more to avert climate catastrophe than USA, with PV panels, EVs, and batteries. With a little luck they’ll bankrupt more major ICE car manufacturers by the end of the decade.
The coal power stations were only a transitional stopgap.
Is, though, the rampant rise of political chaos significantly a symptom of deep angst at the looming disruption of climate induced infrastructure destruction on a civilisation-altering scale, with hundreds of millions of climate refugees before the end of the century? (40M in Indonesia alone.)
I do have to correct you there. Tesla EVs are definitely a step ahead of the competition due to the integrated software system (across the car and charging) and the UI is far superior to any other. Efficiency is also at the top of the list. The supercharger network was and is still is a masterstroke. That is alone gives Tesla a huge advantage over any other brand. I have owned a Tesla for almost 7 years and have experienced a lot of grief from non Tesla owners when driving outside the city. The integration of powerwalls into the Tesla ecosystem is just another piece of the puzzle which makes it all very compelling. So Musk aside, Tesla products are first class
Musk and Trump will apart from starting a trade war made actually succeed in starting an internal conflict that will see them drop from the world leader spot.
I plan to sell up and go off grid and be self sufficient because no one is going to stop Trump and Musk ………….sure once the damage is done and the MAGA loonies have lost their farm subsidies and Medicare will the message hit home.
Food stamps were never about helping the poor – it was about assisting farmers and now food stamps are being removed the farmers lose as well .
My off grid power will not be TESLA.
Such dilemma’s as you’ve mentioned, so often leave progressives at a loss to their ‘willing to lie’ opponents. How can ethics win against that? Shall we fight on the beaches for what we believe in, Ukraine sure is.
Musk appears to have switched sides, or worse; just purely lost the plot since Covid-19. Wouldn’t the US have been just THE place to be living back then, the rise of trump’s global exceptionalism, mixed with a global pandemic? CV19 may have been the only factor that stopped him from 8 yrs in a row.
Personally, I wonder if we may not have all been better off if he’d just won his 2nd term in 2020, rather than having these last 4 years to move further right & pick up Vance n Co.
As a cyclist of over 50 yrs, an auto-mechanic of over 45 yrs, & a progressive for over 25 yrs (upbringings can be hard to shake), I understand your bike/car dilemmas. Why is it that designers & electrical engineers have been creative with cars, whilst electric bicycles by enlarge are stuck where they have always been, just some bicycle hack?
Bicycles already carry a power source, the rider, and rather than use that to recharge, insist that some hybrid mechanical mix must usually be involved in the drivetrain. A mechanical back-up for power failures, yes, but a constant mechanical mid-drive system seems so limiting to any real progress.
When the Libs decided in 2013 to end Australia’s ability to produce our own cars, I’m not aware of much in the way of any domestic level Australian transport having grown to fill any of that void.
Finn, maybe some engineer like you could acquire our beloved Malvern Star bicycle brand to begin creating something that could fit into our unique transport, home VPP & public EV charging systems?
Who knows what Aussie ingenuity might come up with, in either of our 2 future options; cooler with zero-CO2, or warming while we await some nuclear version of our NBN to be rolled out by those that truly hate change or sharing ‘their’ resources with others.
I’m kind of surprised by your views of Elon, Finn.
To me, he is just highly eccentric, as most creatives are, I mean his mind just seems to never stop, it’d drive most of us mad !
Look at the spread of things he’s into, vehicles, satellites, bloody big space programme (and who would’ve thought something like that from anything but a NASA type agency could get this far ?), The Boring Company, lots of other things most likely . . . even making toy flame throwers, and did I see a news article of him with a freaking huge electric chainsaw in the past day or two ??
I don’t think his ‘salute’ was intended as it was taken by many, again an exuberance that many don’t feel strongly very often.
Sometimes I ‘wave’ to other drivers on highway drives almost like that, so hope they don’t think they just passed some nazi sympathiser.
I think that was taken way out of context, just something for the permanently outraged to latch onto.
In any case, the Tesla hate right now in the US is really bad, and not acceptable.
Check out some youtube vids, Electric Viking has had a good one or two recently in particular, but a search of > tesla hate < or similar on there will bring up a lot.
People graffing and keying Teslas, much greater damage, incitement and threats of death even.
The usual crowd.
The reality Les is that your view is the opposite of the overwhelmingly majority.
It’s bizarre that you write “Tesla hate right now in the US is really bad, and not acceptable” while you completely ignore the ramifications of the devastation musk and trump are wreaking on US democracy, civil administration, millions of its citizens, world trade, and the political stability of the world.
But tesla hate is not acceptable.
“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.”
You are doing your part Les.
Yeah, this is me. I have Powerwall 3s, an M3, and Starlink, and it’s all good tech. But I wouldn’t buy Tesla again. You have to stand for something, and my choice is to not buy more Tesla stuff while Musk is still in charge.
Being principled has a cost. If you already gave Elon your money, it sucks but there’s not really anything you can do about it now, just keep using the products and get something else next time. But by continuing to buy and recommend his products, you contribute to his wealth and power base. I know I’m missing out on certain features exclusive to Tesla by refusing to buy one, but that’s the cost of upholding my principles. If you feel opposed to Elon but will still buy a Tesla, then you just don’t care about the problems Elon is contributing to. That’s fine, but just skip the lip service about how much you hate Elon while you hand over fistfuls of cash to him, it’s not fooling anyone.
“…but that’s the cost of upholding my principles. If you feel opposed to Elon but will still buy a Tesla, then you just don’t care about the problems Elon is contributing to. That’s fine, but just skip the lip service about how much you hate Elon while you hand over fistfuls of cash to him, it’s not fooling anyone.”
But this is exactly what your principles are, lip service. You have to uphold them and make the effort, not just by not personally buying products, but everywhere.
You have probably used a Musky product with out realizing it.
Been on a cruise? Their internet is most likely Starlink. As are quite a few places around Australia with their Starlink ground stations.
Use any power from the grid? No doubt an electron or 2 has been used by you or fed into one of the many Tesla Megapack BESS installations near you.
Sit back down and join us in this tepid sea of gray we all live in.
Tesla is valued mostly based on an endless stream of lies, exaggerations, and broken promises. Musk is one of the biggest conmen and vapourware salesmen in modern history. He takes credit for the work of others and many ‘inventions’ are often ridiculous and/or re-hashed ideas from the past, with a few decent products in between, usually developed by the real engineers he employs.
What happened to the $45k Cybertruck with a 500-mile range? The Roadster II with a 1000km + range that was ‘in production now” seven years ago and $250 million in deposits taken? The nation-wide network of solar-powered gigachargers for the semi with a guaranteed rate of 7c/kWh? The ability of a Telsa to drive unaided coast to coast, self-charging, and parking itself on arrival? The safe version of FSD that is better than a human driver “ready next year” for the last decade? The promised ability for Tesla owners to make $30k per year letting their car work as a Cybertaxi (“you’d be insane to buy anything other than a Tesla” for this reason)? What about the attempts to hide crash data and fake stats and faked videos promoting the supposed abilities of FSD, etc, etc.
Outside of Tesla auto, people dressed as robots, fake solar roofs, the ridiculous hyperloop (“it’s easy”), the Boring Company going to build tunnels quicker and at a fraction of the cost, the tunnels under Las Vegas where automated cars would drive at over 100mph (the reality = human drivers at a fraction of that speed.
Anyone who thinks he is an actual genius and knows his stuff needs to lookup the conversation regarding the ‘twitter stack” where Musk was challenged by someone who actually understood the topic. He resorted to name calling within 10 seconds. He just sounds smart to most of us because we don’t have physics degrees and can’t program computers.
And before people claim Musk just underestimates timeframes, you must remember that he knows more about manufacturing than anyone else alive.
Love the batteries and loath the man…
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Standup as a second career choice when you shift lanes..🤣🤣🥳
I’m a Tesla owner and I face the same dilemma. I love the car, but detest the CEO. I also run community EV education sessions – and I always apologise for Musk’s behaviour at the beginning of my EV sessions. For those of us who already own Tesla products I think that publicly apologising and a bumper sticker are good strategies.
Can I suggest that Loathe is a very strong word. One of the problems in our society is the demonisation of the opposition. Yes Musk has his flaws, but resorting to outright personal abuse is not helping our society move forward.
Derek, I agree that Loathe is a very strong word.
Indeed one of the problems in our society is the demonization of the opposition. That demonization is being led by MUSK through his right wing media platform “X” and with TRUMP and his “TRUTH SOCIAL”.
Yes Musk has his flaws, resorting to outright personal abuse by Musk is not helping our society move forward.
Clearly in this venue covering solar Musk has invoked powerful commentary.
Love the science and progress to mankind not keen on his Nazi salute or
far, far, far right wing position.