Another day, another vandal tampering with a charging Tesla. In a video shared to the r/TeslaModel3 subreddit, a Tesla owner captured clear footage of a stranger walking up to their parked Tesla and deliberately unplugging the charging cable before casually walking away.
It might seem like it's not a big deal, but incidents like these have been growing in number. One Tesla owner even fell victim to a man breaking their windshield at a charging station. Vandalism and tampering with electric vehicles, including chargers, pose serious challenges to the widespread adoption of EVs.
As more drivers make the switch to electric in an effort to reduce their use of dirty energy sources like gas and oil, dependable and safe access to charging is crucial. Whether it's at home or a public station, any threat to that access risks slowing progress toward a cleaner future.
Thankfully, there are protections in place for some vehicles and charging stations. One commenter made note that Tesla chargers are typically supposed to lock automatically if the car is locked, as well.
"Looks like a J1772 adapter in a Tesla [in the video]. It doesn't lock to the adapter by default," one user clarified.
Others wondered if having a locked charging plug could make things worse, perhaps cause damage to the car if a vandal was so bold.
"Better to have your charging stopped prematurely than to have damage," one person said.
EV critics often cite concerns about the environmental impact of producing and charging electric cars. It's true that manufacturing batteries requires mining for minerals, and that the process can be energy-intensive. However, studies consistently show that EVs made with even the "dirtiest" batteries are still far better for the environment over their lifetime than traditional gas-powered vehicles.
While no energy solution is impact-free, the goal is to trade a finite, polluting resource for materials with a smaller carbon impact that can be reused and recycled.
For now, EV owners should simply stay vigilant, lock charging ports when possible, and report suspicious activity. After all, the switch to clean transportation shouldn't be stalled by those with an unplugging complex.
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