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Photos of exposed Tesla Supercharger sparks outrage online: 'Why do people do this?'

"Wondering if this is anti-Elon vandalism."

"Wondering if this is anti-Elon vandalism."

Photo Credit: iStock

A Reddit user on the r/TeslaLounge subreddit posted some shocking photos of a Tesla charging station with the charging cord ripped from the station.

"Why do people do this?" the original poster asked in the title of their post.

"Wondering if this is anti-Elon vandalism."
Photo Credit: Reddit
"Wondering if this is anti-Elon vandalism."
Photo Credit: Reddit

Vandalism of Tesla products is, unfortunately, not a new occurrence. While the reasons why this particular charging station was ruined are unclear, there are several possible explanations — one of which includes the public disdain for Tesla CEO Elon Musk.

"Wondering if this is anti-Elon vandalism," the OP said in the caption of their post, which came in July.

Musk, once a widely supported public figure, has received massive amounts of backlash for his association with Donald Trump's 2024 presidential campaign and subsequent administration. Several critics took out their frustrations on Tesla vehicles.

Even now, after Musk's public fallout with President Trump, Tesla's revenue has not recovered, and the public continues to lash out at Tesla vehicles and charging stations.

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Another possible reason for the vandalism mentioned in the Reddit post could be that individuals were attempting to steal copper from the charger. Copper theft is a common motive in infrastructure vandalism due to its high resale value. Chargers and other electrical equipment often contain enough metal to make them attractive targets for thieves.

Vandalism stories like these undermine public confidence in charging infrastructure and show the need for greater investment in security and maintenance to support widespread EV adoption.

In addition to being cheaper to drive, electric vehicles offer significant environmental benefits, including lower heat-trapping and toxic air pollution, making them a key part of the fight against climate change.

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Skeptics of electric vehicles often raise concerns about the environmental impact of battery production, particularly the mining of lithium, cobalt, and other rare earth elements. While the clean energy transition does require extracting millions of tons of materials, the fossil fuel industry extracts billions of tons annually.

Fossil fuels are also burned and gone forever, leaving behind planet-warming pollution, while battery materials can be recycled. That means that the impact of electric vehicles is still lower.

"It's copper theft, plain and simple. I've seen it before," one Reddit user theorized in the comment section.

"Copper is the new gold," another user said.

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