Tesla owner reports disturbing discovery at local Supercharger station: 'We need legislation'

An electric vehicle driver from Houston was concerned when several chargers at a local station had been vandalized. 

The driver spread the word on Reddit so other EV owners would be aware and said they'd reported it both to a security guard and directly to Tesla via a phone app.

"Several of the 25 Superchargers on Yale St … have been cut. … It seems like about 10 are still in service," they said.

Vandalism of EV charging stations seems to be on the rise. "Historically, most vandalism against EVs and charging infrastructure was committed by those with anti-EV beliefs or some personal vendetta," InsideEVs wrote in May. "But more recently, thieves are just looking to make a quick buck by nabbing the copper material used in cable wiring." 

This destructive behavior can dissuade the widespread adoption of EVs, which is a necessary step to stop the use of dirty energy sources including gas and oil. 

Some people have legitimate concerns with EVs. Mining for lithium and other materials needed for batteries causes pollution, as does using dirty energy for charging — and charging from the grid is typically going to include a notable percentage of dirty energy unless your home is powered by solar or your electricity is renewable. 

However, even with the worst charging conditions that feature coal-based energy, EVs still win out on total pollution by making up for their battery production. This typically happens in only about 13,500 miles, according to a Reuters comparison of a Tesla Model 3 and Toyota Corolla. It happens after about 70,000 miles with a 100% coal-powered electricity supply, as power plants and EV motors are far more efficient than gasoline-powered engines, which lose a lot of energy to heat dissipation.

Furthermore, battery-associated pollution is only a one-time "capital cost" related to the initial creation of a battery, whereas pollution from using gasoline to power a vehicle is constant. Estimates reveal that low-carbon tech requires about 7.7 million tons of mining, whereas mining for dirty fuels amounts to about 16.5 billion tons per year. This insatiable need causes a number of health problems along with the planet's overheating. 

Not to be deterred by anti-EV efforts, charging companies are fighting back against the kind of vandalism that occurred in Houston. 

How fast would EVs need to charge for you to consider buying one? In under 5 minutes In under 10 minutes In under 20 minutes Any speed is fine Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

One way is by creating cords that can't be cut, as ChargePoint has. "The novel design addresses a critical concern for EV drivers and charging station owners, ensuring that cables remain intact and operational despite attempted tampering," EV Magazine explains.

Redditors expressed frustration with the vandalism. 

"This happened at another location in Houston earlier this week," one said.

Another offered a solution, writing: "Make it a crime. We need legislation that makes destruction of superchargers a crime same with gas stations. If you cut a gas station hose, you go to jail."

The OP's reports were taken seriously, showing that responding to this kind of vandalism works. 

They commented to say that the chargers had been repaired quickly: "My car showed stalls available this morning. Checked the situation and all charging cables have been replaced."

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