If only they could apply the same amount of brain energy and ingenuity to legal shit... 
It takes mere seconds to cut an electric vehicle charging cable — and those few seconds could be slowing the future of EV adoption.
Outlining this exact problem, a frustrated worker took to Reddit to vent about repeated acts of vandalism targeting Chargepoint charging stations at their workplace.
According to the post, thieves have been cutting EV charging cables in the company parking lot, leaving employees unable to charge their vehicles while at work. That's because fast-charging EV cables contain thick copper wiring — a valuable metal that's long been a target for thieves looking to make quick cash.
The worker explained that while the company's parking lot is equipped with security cameras, they were of little use during the thefts.
"It took two minutes to cut cables, and now no one can charge," the worker wrote.
The user asked Redditors for suggestions on charging alternatives to Chargepoint, lamenting that the company "doesn't service their stations, they just replace the entire unit, which is really expensive." ChargePoint's warranty excludes damage caused by external factors such as vandalism, leaving replacement costs to property owners.
But commenters warned that changing providers or cable brands would not solve the core issue.
"This is a security problem that will be very difficult to fix via charger hardware selection," one commenter wrote. "It's likely one person or group. If you can get the cops to intervene and actually get these people, the problem should stop. … Be annoyingly persistent."
Many commenters instead suggested improving physical security rather than focusing on hardware changes. Proposals included restricting access to the parking area through attendants or gates, or issuing charging cables through an office administrator to monitor their use. Others recommended retractable ceiling-mounted cables to keep them out of reach when not in use.
Some users floated the idea of requiring EV owners to bring their own charging cables to avoid damaging shared equipment. But others pushed back, arguing that this merely shifts the burden of vandalism.
"That doesn't stop theft; it just moves the problem to the EV owner rather than the people providing the power," one commenter wrote.
Though there are no easy answers to solving cable vandalism, one thing is clear — making chargers more accessible and reliable is key to improving public opinions of EVs. A Pew Research study found that people with access to functioning public chargers are more likely to "view EVs more positively than those who are farther away."
Even so, EV cable theft has become widespread enough that some EV charging companies are working to deter possible thieves. Some machines — particularly newer European models — have integrated sirens to identify tampering, while others use retractable cables made of non-copper, though these chargers tend to be slower than copper cables.
Finding a solution to cable vandalism is crucial for the future of our planet. The Environmental Protection Agency reports that the transportation sector is the largest single contributor to planet-warming pollution. Unlike gas-powered cars, EVs produce no tailpipe pollution, helping reduce air pollution linked to respiratory illnesses, cancers, and other health problems.
Still, many critics argue that electric vehicles aren't truly clean because of the pollution created during battery manufacturing or the energy required to charge these vehicles. But research shows even the "dirtiest" EVs produce less pollution over their lifetime than gas-powered cars. While mining the lithium, nickel, and other minerals needed for EV batteries has environmental costs, it's a matter of scale. The clean energy transition requires digging up millions of tons of minerals, compared to the billions of tons of dirty energy extracted every year to keep combustion engines running.
There are also money-saving perks to electric vehicle adoption. Experts estimate that switching from a gas-powered car to an EV can save drivers around $1,500 annually in fuel and maintenance costs.
But these advantages depend on keeping chargers secure and accessible — a challenge that remains unresolved even as the push toward EV adoption gains momentum.
