A video of an electric vehicle charging station being vandalized has garnered attention online.
EV charging stations are the latest victims of wire theft, in which thieves steal electrical cables to steal the valuable conductive metals inside. According to Fox 11 Los Angeles, wire theft crimes have skyrocketed in the city, costing taxpayers about $2.5 million.
The inconvenience and danger to residents is enormous: depending on where thieves are sourcing their copper, it could damage street lights, storm warning systems and, more recently, electric vehicle charging stations.
In a recent TikTok post by Chris Pearce (@thechristopherpearce), the creator narrates footage from user K9 Optima (@k9optima) detailing the destruction of a Tesla charging station in California’s Bay Area.
@thechristopherpearce I’ve never seen such nasty Tesla haters. What do you think? #tesla #carnews #vandalized #supercharger ♬ original sound – Chris Pearce
He noted that this is happening all across the country, saying, “Believe it or not, this is not just a one-off issue.”
When asked why these crimes are happening, the influencer said, “There are some serious Tesla haters out there,” concluding that a more logical explanation is probably people mining the copper inside the wires.
Wire stripping at EV charging stations creates significant anxiety for drivers and the potential for them to be stranded without a charge. Charging station vandalism also creates costs for consumers and property owners; the cost of replacing cables far exceeds the value thieves steal from them.
In other areas, the consequences of stripping electrical wires can be even more severe. As seen in the Los Angeles situation, it can affect critical infrastructure such as street lights. Additionally, if the crime is committed on public land, the financial burden of replacing the wires and restoring service is passed on to taxpayers.
As more people switch to EVs and cities implement solutions to protect charging infrastructure, we expect to see a significant decrease in charging station vandalism.
EVs offer many benefits, including savings on gas and maintenance costs, and reducing the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere that contribute to extreme weather. By caring for our shared resources, we can help ensure a cooler, cleaner future.
People who responded to the post had a lot to say.
One user seemed to want everyone to calm down: “These are people who like scrap copper, not people who hate Tesla.”
“Why? I don’t understand,” said another.
Some of the comments were more solution-oriented, with another commenter stating, “We need to redesign the car so that it has a cord and the charging station only has a socket.”
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