Unplugging electrical items when they aren't in use can save energy and reduce electricity bills. But that doesn't mean you should rip out every plug you see.
On Reddit, one Tesla owner's partner shared the moment a random stranger removed the car's charging cable in the middle of the night, likely leaving them without a full battery the following morning.
"Why?" was the simple question the original poster asked.
It's not an easy one to answer. Some speculate that unplugging EVs while they charge is an act of protest against the growing shift away from dirty fuel-powered cars.
That raises the question of why anyone would believe electric vehicles are a threat in the first place, considering the benefits they provide to their owners and the planet.
For example, for drivers, EVs are far cheaper to refuel, and their maintenance costs are much lower than internal combustion engine equivalents because they have fewer moving parts.
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Meanwhile, for the general public, EVs produce no tailpipe pollution, meaning they don't decrease air quality like ICE vehicles and don't increase the risk of respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses.
Since they don't produce harmful planet-warming gases on the road, they also don't contribute as much to rising global temperatures that increase the risk and severity of extreme weather events.
EVs contribute to some pollution because electricity plants rely on dirty fuels, but the impact is much lower if that energy is created by renewable sources such as solar panels.
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Chargers not working 
Even considering the need to mine precious metals for battery construction, EVs aren't as environmentally damaging as ICE cars. We need to extract far more oil every year to support conventional vehicles.
Others suspect that some people unplug Teslas to show their animosity toward CEO Elon Musk. But there's not a lot owners can do about the 53-year-old's actions. In this video, it is curious that the person unplugs the Tesla but seemingly leaves the other vehicle alone.
Redditors were baffled by the stranger's decision.
"ICE drivers seem to think EVs hurt them in some way," one observed. "Very confusing."
"He's mad that his beloved parking spot is taken so pulls out the charger so you get a fine for just parking without plugging in," another speculated.
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