A post shared in the r/arizona subreddit offered another example of a troubling trend that's been happening across the U.S. It showed the charred remains of an Electrify America electric vehicle charging station in Mesa, Arizona, following what seemed to be an act of arson that launched an investigation.
"Arson attack at Electrify America EV Charger," the post was titled, alongside a dramatic photo of a burned-out charging station. "Initially I thought this was likely just another EA station failing (all too common) but this one has been determined to be arson," the post was captioned.
Unfortunately, this isn't the first time an EV charger has been deliberately damaged — from cables being harvested for their valuable metals to smashed chargers and Tesla vandalism often linked to political protest. Not only is this vandalism dangerous and expensive, but it also risks slowing the adoption of EVs, which is key in cutting our reliance on planet-warming dirty energy sources such as oil and gas.
Damaged or inaccessible chargers make it harder for people to choose cleaner transportation options, especially in areas where charging stations are limited. And cutting down on the air pollution linked to internal combustion engines will be key in reducing the extreme weather affecting communities, public health, and food security around the world.
People not yet on board with EVs sometimes point to battery manufacturing and mining as reasons to dismiss the potential of clean cars. But studies have shown that even the "dirtiest" EVs pollute less than gas cars over their lifetimes. While mineral mining is a real issue, it's also important to remember that we dig up billions of tons of fossil fuels every year — way more than the minerals we'll need for the clean energy transition.
Some EV owners avoid public charger drama altogether by charging at home with solar — the best way to charge your EV. That makes the cars even cheaper and cleaner to run. If you're curious about installing solar panels, EnergySage is a great place to compare vetted solar quotes and save money on installation. And if you haven't already, consider making your next car an EV to save money on gas and maintenance.
As for the Mesa incident, reactions online ranged from confused to outraged.
"But why?" one user asked. Another added, "Hopefully a camera at a neighboring business caught this."
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