Vandalized EV Chargers – The Hunt for Copper
Rick Wilmer, CEO of ChargePoint Holdings Inc., spends most of his time in the office, but he occasionally heads to the company’s lab in San Jose, California. There, donning safety glasses, he tests EV chargers with various saws and shears, simulating the rising vandalism affecting the 65,000 chargers ChargePoint manages across the U.S. “It’s happening everywhere,” Wilmer says, describing the alarming frequency and severity of the damage.
ChargePoint is not alone in facing these issues. According to JD Power, nearly 20% of U.S. public charging attempts through June this year failed, with about 10% of these due to missing or damaged cables. While some vandalism seems random—similar to attacks on vending machines or delivery robots—charging companies suspect most of the incidents are driven by the value of copper.
This pattern isn’t just in the U.S.; European companies like Instavolt Ltd. have also reported increases in cord theft. However, the problem is especially concerning in the U.S., where consistent, reliable charging infrastructure is essential for combating EV drivers’ range anxiety. At a time when electric car sales are slowing, damaged chargers only add to consumers’ frustrations over charging station reliability.
Vandalizing EV chargers can be as easy as cutting a bike lock. Most charging stations are tucked away in quiet areas, unstaffed, and easily accessible. “Vandalism has been a priority issue for us since the start of the year,” says Anthony Lambkin, vice president of operations at Electrify America, which operates about 1,000 charging sites in North America. So far in 2024, vandals have cut 215 cords at Electrify America’s sites—up from 79 last year.
FLO, which manages nearly 3,700 charging stations, has also seen an increase in vandalism, with some damage due to accidents. In one week, seven of its fast-charging cords were cut. ChargePoint’s numbers are higher, with an incident just this summer where multiple cords were cut at its Silicon Valley headquarters.
Much of the vandalism appears tied to copper theft. The metal is in high demand, with prices doubling since 2020 due to construction, technology needs, and a strong U.S. economy. This profit-driven motive often leads organized groups to cut all cables at a station, taking it offline completely. Some companies, like EVgo Inc., have even captured footage of thieves dressed as utility workers to avoid suspicion.
Sara Rafalson, EVgo’s executive director of policy, emphasizes that law enforcement needs to do more to address the problem. For thieves, the copper in a slow-charging cable may only bring in about $21, while a fast-charging cord could yield twice that. “The financial reward hardly justifies the risk,” says Travis Allan, chief legal and public affairs officer at FLO.
Replacing stolen cords is costly for charging companies, with Level 2 cables costing around $700 and fast-charging cables up to $4,000. Many operators are investing in tech solutions to mitigate these costs, like automated surveillance. FLO chargers, for example, feature sensors that can detect cut cords. However, other forms of vandalism, like spray paint, are harder to monitor.
Adding cameras and other surveillance tools can be expensive and raise privacy concerns. FLO is testing a charger with an internal camera, but it will only activate in high-vandalism areas. Electrify America has installed cameras at 100 stations and introduced speakers to deter thieves.
ChargePoint, meanwhile, is asking users to help report damaged stations through its app. Wilmer says this initiative will help the company quickly identify and repair vandalized units, aiming for a same-day fix. At its San Jose lab, ChargePoint is also exploring ways to make cords more resistant to tampering by studying videos of thieves cutting bike locks. Developing a durable, uncuttable cord is challenging due to weight, flexibility, and cooling considerations.
For now, vandals seem to hold the advantage.
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