ChargePoint unveils "anti-vandalism" EV charger cables designed to deter copper thieves

[zohaibahd]

The big picture: Copper is a valuable commodity, and some people are willing to go to great lengths to get their hands on it – even if it means cutting through cables designed to charge electric vehicles. This has caused significant headaches and unexpected costs for companies, not to mention leaving EV drivers stranded without a charge. In response, ChargePoint has decided enough is enough and is introducing new cut-resistant cables to tackle the problem.

The new cut-resistant cables incorporate advanced technology by weaving steel strategically through the wiring, making them far more difficult to cut.

ChargePoint's VP of product management, Steve Farrell, told The Verge that the cables underwent rigorous testing against tools like wire cutters, bolt cutters, and battery-powered devices. The results showed that the enhanced design significantly increased the time and effort needed to sever the cables.

Now, you might be wondering – won't steel-reinforced cables be rigid and hard to handle? ChargePoint assures drivers that the cables remain flexible and easy to maneuver, ensuring comfort and convenience during use.

ChargePoint plans to roll out the cut-resistant cables across its entire commercial and fleet charging lineup. In a bid to combat cable theft on a larger scale, the company is also open to licensing the design to other charger manufacturers, aiming to reduce cable theft industry-wide.

Complementing the cut-resistant cables is an integrated alarm system called ChargePoint Protect. This system leverages existing charger technology to provide a second line of defense against theft. It can detect tampering in real time, triggering flashing lights, warning messages on the charger screen, and loud alarms through built-in speakers. Owners can even receive SMS or email alerts when the alarm activates, enabling them to notify law enforcement quickly. ChargePoint assures that current customers can activate Protect on compatible stations via a free online software update.

Reports of cable vandalism have risen sharply in recent years, driven by the high resale value of copper wiring. According to J.D. Power, nearly one in five public charging attempts failed through June of last year, with approximately 10 percent of those failures caused by damaged or missing cables.

Interestingly, ChargePoint isn't the only company stepping up to tackle equipment theft in the electric mobility sector. For example, Bosch recently unveiled its new Battery Lock for eBikes, further underscoring the industry's focus on protecting critical components.

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ChargePoint unveils "anti-vandalism" EV charger cables designed to deter copper thieves

 

[yRaz]

Here is a solution, make housing affordable so people can charge their cars at home. With charging listed as the main concern for purchasing an EV, you can make charging a non-issue by solving the housing crisis. Get two birds stoned with one bush

 

[bviktor]

Here is a solution, make housing affordable so people can charge their cars at home. With charging listed as the main concern for purchasing an EV, you can make charging a non-issue by solving the housing crisis. Get two birds stoned with one bush

Cool, now please explain, how do I charge my car "at home" from my flat in the city. You know, the place where the majority of the population lives.

 

[yRaz]

Cool, now please explain, how do I charge my car "at home" from my flat in the city. You know, the place where the majority of the population lives.

So, I'm my city, new "flats" are built with parking garages and every 1 in 5 spaces has to be setup for EV charging. On street charging is a big issue, but not impossible to solve. But as someone who lived in the city, I loved taking public transit so I didn't have to deal with other drivers or parking. There was an option for free parking at a "station" on the tran line and you could even rent a dedicated spot there, with charger, if you wanted. There is the option for underground parking that costs about $100,000/spot, but the price drops the more you build.

 

[Dreadcthulhu]

Cool, now please explain, how do I charge my car "at home" from my flat in the city. You know, the place where the majority of the population lives.

Well, in the US a solid majority of people live in single family housing of some sort (mostly just normal house but also a fair # of stuff like mobile homes), and getting more people out of apartments and into actual houses seems like a noble goal to me, though obviously not an easy one.

 

[3volv3d]

1000 problems that would be nullified by switching to trains and trams in better more purpose built towns.

But don't build smart for longevity,
Build dumb for money and not much else. Yay.

 

[p51d007]

I guess it is too much trouble to get to the copper, but if the copper nuts knew that the BULK of the copper telephone cables were pretty much abandoned in the USA, they'd be climbing telephone poles all over the place LOL.

 

[Dreadcthulhu]

1000 problems that would be nullified by switching to trains and trams in better more purpose built towns.

The kind of people who steal copper wiring are also the kind of people who turn public transit into crime ridden trash heap. So you end up needing security & anti-vandalism measures on the trains anyways if a large number of those sorts live in an area.

 

[Antias]

Well, in the US a solid majority of people live in single family housing of some sort (mostly just normal house but also a fair # of stuff like mobile homes), and getting more people out of apartments and into actual houses seems like a noble goal to me, though obviously not an easy one.

This comment makes me uncomfortable... your assumption is everyone wants a house as apposed to an apartment, and its your "noble goal" to help those "not in an actual house-apartment" into "actual houses"... (I'm still not clear what you deem an "actual house"...)... Good luck with NYC....

 

[Underdog]

There was a problem in UK a few years ago when copper thieves were chopping cables that fed railway switching panels. Caused loads of problems until the news was made public that the cables were no longer made of copper, but fibre optics.

 

[toooooot]

This article shows bane of the Western culture. Trying to design anti vandal proof world while stubbornly looking away from the problem. Somewhere along the way someone said, if we treat them with empathy, it will transform their souls. decades later, vandal proof cables, locked goods in stores and many other ingenious but totally pointless invention.
Lies never helped anyone to solve their problems. No amount of vandal proof inventions will solve the problem.