Tesla enthusiasts may have become accustomed to hearing reports about severed cables at charging points or about people unplugging cars from refueling spots. Some may have even been unlucky enough to witness this firsthand.
However, this was taken up a notch in Omaha, Nebraska, where a man was filmed unplugging a Tesla from a charger and then using the cable to smash the front and rear windshields of the electric vehicle.
KETV reported the Aug. 28 incident was caught on camera, and a man wearing black and adorned with a fedora was shown as the culprit. Among the confusing actions of the suspect, they actually plugged the Tesla back in after they caused the damage.
It's unclear what might have motivated him to do so. Camera footage from the damaged Tesla showed the same person unplugging another Tesla, too.
In similar incidents where cables have been cut from charging stations, some have assumed that this was done to access copper wiring that could be sold at scrap sites.
Unplugging the cars shows an intent to irritate and inconvenience EV drivers. Smashing the windows, though, demonstrates an unnecessary level of hate for a machine that is much better for the environment than dirty-fuel-powered equivalents.
Even when factoring in the environmental harm caused by mining the precious metals needed for EV battery construction, this is still much more favorable than the constant drilling and excavation of oil needed for internal combustion engine vehicles. Furthermore, since EVs don't burn this fuel, they produce no planet-warming emissions while out on the road.
Those metals can also be recycled, but when gasoline and diesel are burned, they cannot be used again.
These incidents can slow the takeup of EVs, which is essential as we try to slow the rate of global heating. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the average passenger vehicle emits 4.6 metric tons of carbon dioxide a year. This gas traps heat inside the atmosphere and causes thermometers to rise, increasing the risk, severity, and longevity of extreme weather events such as heat waves, flooding, deadly storms, wildfires, and droughts.
🗣️ When you think about owning an EV, what concerns you most about public charging stations?
🔘 Chargers not working 🚫
🔘 Chargers not being available 😥
🔘 Charging being too expensive 💰
🔘 Charging taking too long ⌚
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
But, as the presence of EVs on our roads continues to grow, people who have negative feelings toward them might be persuaded that they aren't so bad after all. Maybe then we can charge our vehicles in peace.
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