I have played (not very successfully) in the FX Market and short...

I have played (not very successfully) in the FX Market and short selling is as normal as taking long positions in that game.
You are correct, Hoots, in that it is just another way the market stays in balance.
I understand the frustration, being a long term investor myself, but we need to acknowledge that not everyone sees the world the way we do. There are still a lot of people that see the EV market as almost science fiction, and who can blame them given the movies have been predicting their appearance (unsuccessfully) for 50 years+.
Like most here, I believe the tipping point has arrived and the move to New Energy has begun. Whilst the S-Curve has compressed in the last few decades (with shorter time frames), the transition to batteries will still need some time to pick up the momentum we see ahead of us.
In the meantime, those that short-sell PLS and other stocks simply have a different view as to where we are and where we are going. I hope they are wrong, but that doesn't make them evil. Just wrong.
And another thought...without the sellers how would we be buyers?