Driver shares frustrations after returning to shocking scene at charging station: 'It just blew my mind'

A Redditor recently went to charge their EV at a community ChargePoint station, only to find the cords vandalized.

"I came to charge and found this," one Reddit user shared on the r/Ioniq6 subreddit, complete with photos of two cut charging cables. "Luckily there's one more station right next to this one but it just blew my mind."

Other users theorized that the vandalism was an effort to steal the copper wires in the cable, and many, unfortunately, had faced this issue themselves.

"I live in the [San Fernando Valley] in LA & this is so common," another Redditor noted. "So many chargers with their cables cut off … it takes months even up to a year to get fixed."

The growing phenomenon of EV and charging station vandalism has wide ramifications in cutting the use of dirty energy resources like gas and oil. While charging stations are becoming more common across the U.S., this damage to existing cables and delays in fixing them can deter prospective EV buyers from investing in this alternative to gas-powered cars.

These practical issues for EVs are often exacerbated by concerns about pollution created during the battery manufacturing and charging processes, though studies have shown that even the "dirtiest" EV batteries are cleaner than most efficient gas-powered vehicles.

Environmental concerns also extend to lithium mining for EV batteries, which requires pulling millions of tons of minerals from the Earth to meet lofty international environmental goals. However, Oxford researcher Hannah Ritchie found that this number is minuscule in comparison to the amount of oil, natural gas, and coal mining it aims to replace.

"At its fastest rate of deployment," Ritchie noted, "mining quantities for low-carbon energy will be 500 to 1,000 times less than current fossil fuel production."

Beyond the benefits of mitigating dirty energy usage, EVs can be a cost-effective option, requiring about one-half to one-third the expense of a traditional gas-powered car. 

EV owners can reduce costs even further with home solar, which can slash the price of charging at home. EnergySage can help consumers start the home solar journey, assisting curious buyers with making informed decisions based on their specific energy needs. 

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.

For current EV owners relying on community charging, however, the frustration continues.

As one Redditor put it: "People suck. They are the absolute worst."

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