Electric vehicle drivers in Philadelphia were left frustrated after a charging station in the Roxborough neighborhood was left unusable.
Fox 29 Philadelphia reported that cables were cut from Electrify America charging points on Ridge Avenue in May, with suggestions it was done by thieves looking to steal copper wiring.
Local resident Adam Nichols usually charges his Chevrolet Bolt at the station while he goes to the gym, and he was surprised to see such damage.
"I go to a lot of different charging stations in the Philadelphia area," he told the news outlet. "I've never seen this before."
This is an unfortunate trend sweeping the United States and worldwide, with EV charging infrastructure damage reported in England and Germany, among other places.
While many believe this is done to sell copper wiring to scrap yards, others are of the opinion that EV charging station vandalism is done to protest against electric cars.
Anti-EV sentiment isn't new, with some drivers seeing designated parking lot spots for EV charging taken up purposefully by cars with internal combustion engines. Coal rolling — or the intentional release of clouds of pollution-filled smog from vehicle tailpipes — is another way drivers of gas guzzlers have demonstrated their distaste.
Some have questioned the true planet-friendly nature of electric cars, expressing concerns that the mining of precious metals for EV batteries can cause significant environmental damage. Meanwhile, questions about how well EVs can be recycled at the end of their lifespan persist.
But even when taking into account mining activity, EVs are still much cleaner than ICE vehicles from the point of creation to when they reach the end of the road, while EV battery recycling facilities are opening across the United States, notably in southern states.
Whatever the reason for the theft, it's important that these acts don't discourage motorists from making their next car an EV. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, around 28% of harmful planet-warming gas pollution produced in the United States comes from the transportation sector. Greater uptake of electric vehicles, which produce no tailpipe pollution when out on the road, can help to reduce this troubling statistic.
YouTubers had their say on the Philadelphia incident, with some suggesting possible prevention methods and solutions.
"Recycler shouldn't even take the copper if they don't know where it came from," one said.
"The long-term solution is for charging stations to have no cables just a socket and each driver carries his/her own cable," added another.
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