Lai Wei wanted Elon Musk to see something.
“Ordered my plates today, I hope DMV approves this,” Wei replied to a November X post from Musk. He attached a photo of his application. “DOGE.GOV coming!”
A few months later, Wei was back in Musk’s replies with new photographic proof: freshly printed DOGEGOV aluminum.
“New plate arrived just in time. LFG.”
The Musk crowd, especially Tesla owners, loves a vanity plate. It’s a phenomenon from San Francisco to New Zealand. Team Tesla was known to use those plates to virtue-signal the superiority of its gas-free vehicles: BYBYGAS, CO2FREE, and NO PETRO have all been spotted in the wild.
But as Musk swung from climate-minded mogul to right-wing troll, Tesla has become a lightning rod for U.S. political unrest, and the brand’s dealerships have become an unusual third space for public protest.
Now a different conversation has begun to play out across the back of California cars. When it comes to the new Musk, these drivers have picked a side. And for a small upcharge paid to the DMV, they want you to know it.
New fans are happy to shout their admiration for Musk’s vision in government-approved all caps. In 2024, GO4DOGE, MUSKUSA, and MS MUSK were all approved to be affixed to California Teslas.
Mario Delis, the proud owner of ELONWUN for six months, is a fan of the Tesla CEO’s approach to business and government. “I love everything about Elon Musk,” the Bakersfield resident said. “I think he’s the most brilliant man of our time.”
Delis said he drives his Tesla Y Performance “super hard” around California’s capital of oil extraction.
Sometimes, drivers on the highway tailgate or cut him off.
“I don’t know if that’s the license plate or if it’s just how I drive,” Delis said. “Maybe it’s a combo.”
Along with those fans, Musk earned plenty of new haters in the last year. The Goodsides of South Orange County are among them.
Linn and Lenn Goodside, both 65, bought their first Tesla in 2013. They liked it so much they’ve bought three more since. But the runup to the 2024 election planted doubts about their car brand of choice.
“We started wondering about all the money we were putting in Elon’s pocket,” Lenn said. “He wants to cut Medicaid, Social Security, and Veterans Affairs. That’s not where my heart is at.”
Instead of slapping on an “I bought this before Elon went crazy” bumper sticker, Lenn decided it was time to replace Linn’s Model Y. He bought her a new Rivian for her birthday with the custom plate CYA ELON.
“I’ve been a little worried there would be some backlash,” Linn said, “but the other day I heard honking behind me and saw a guy giving me two thumbs-up and clapping and laughing.”
The Goodsides are far from the only Californians expressing their displeasure with Musk in aluminum. State officials have issued plates reading EEWELON, ZROMUSK, and NO MUSK.
Others tried for ruder messages: FK MUSK, FKELON, and FU MUSK, all showed up on license plate applications in 2024. The DMV flagged those for secondary review; it’s unclear whether they made it to city streets.
Tanya Rhoades purchased the NO MUSK plate in early 2024 for her electric Hyundai Ioniq. The plate on the other Ioniq she has with her husband: TSLA 187, a reference to the legal code for murder.
Rhoades said the bold sentiment is a response to Tesla’s hype.
“Teslas are very overrated. People are paying a lot for the name, but they’re not the best thing around,” the San Bernardino resident said. “I don’t have anything against Musk. He is a genius.”