Tesla owner stunned by senseless destruction in mall parking lot: 'It was a bummer'

One of the many benefits of making your next car an electric vehicle is the increasing convenience of charging them. Charging stations are popping up in the parking lots of shopping centers and restaurants around the world. But unfortunately, some people aren't happy about it.

A poster on Reddit recently vented their frustration after vandals destroyed chargers at a local Vancouver mall. They captioned their picture, "It was a bummer cause I used those chargers whenever I came here as they were … free to use."

Unfortunately, this is not the only incident of anti-EV sentiment. Vandalism of electric vehicle charging stations is frustrating because it discourages the widespread adoption of electric vehicles. 

Purchasing or leasing an EV is beneficial on many fronts. For one, your wallet will thank you. Electric vehicle owners don't just save money on gas; they also don't have to pay as much for the maintenance and repairs that traditional cars require.

EVs are also great for the environment. Since they don't require dirty fuel sources like gas and oil, they cut down on pollution. This is great for the quality of our air.

The motivations of whoever vandalized these chargers are not known. But, there has been backlash against electric cars, as some argue that the mining of materials used for their batteries is bad for the environment. 

EV proponents rightly argue that mining for batteries replaces mining for dirty fuels, like oil and gas. And once they are produced, the batteries are much better for the environment than traditional gas-guzzling cars. 

Another fear for some is the shifting economy away from dirty fuels. People worry about the jobs that will be lost, but many communities are already moving away from traditional gas and oil mining and retraining workers for new jobs in the clean energy sector.

Commenters on the original post were sympathetic. 

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.

One said, "This is how we move to a society where everything is gated and has security personnel."

Others speculated about alternative motives: "Metal scrap prices are very high right now … most likely theft to scrap."

Regardless of the motive, building more electric vehicle chargers and protecting them from vandals will only benefit our environment.

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