Photo: Randy Spencer via Teslamotorclub.com
Tesla’s greatest asset is its extensive charging network dubbed Supercharger. As good as it is, it’s also the weakest link in Tesla’s business since owning a Tesla is indissolubly tied to using the Supercharger network. And when access to these chargers is denied, the whole Tesla ownership experience crumbles. This is something that only became obvious in the past weeks, when more and more Supercharger stations got vandalized, with the cables cut.
Of course, Tesla owners in the U.S. can use third-party chargers via adapters, but the Tesla Supercharger network provides the best charging experience. Access to a Supercharger is not guaranteed though, especially as the number of EVs on our roads increases exponentially. To make the matter worse, not all charging stations are operable, due to various reasons.
Lately, one of the most common ones is the missing charging cables. This has become a nuisance for Tesla owners, as it appears vandals specifically target Tesla Superchargers. When you have a low state of charge and the charging station is the only one around, not being able to charge your car can turn into a life-threatening situation.
There are several accounts of Supercharger stations that went cableless in the past weeks and, according to service technicians, many of them have seen their cables being cut more than once. The reason that the cables keep getting cut is still under debate, ranging from selling the copper in the cables for profit to pure vandalism. While the latter seems a little far-fetched, it is not the first time that Tesla owners have fallen victims to vandalism or bullying from other road users.
To be sure, we’ve heard of cableless Superchargers before. In February a brand-new Supercharger station had the cables cut on all eight stalls even before Tesla owners found out about it. But in the past weeks, this has become a trend. Recent threads on Reddit show the cables were cut at two Supercharger locations in Oakland and Cincinnati, with the latter being vandalized for the second time in a week, according to a technician who came to replace the cables.
Apparently, the people who did this have specifically chosen the stalls that were not under video surveillance at the time. In Cincinnati, a security camera covers the last four stalls only, and those never had their cables cut. The phenomenon is now spreading to underground parking garages with Tesla charging stations installed. The video below is shot in an Oakland garage. The detail that sets this apart is that the cables are not cut close to the casing as before. Instead, the vandals left a part of the cable attached. This basically rules out copper harvesting as the reason behind the vandalism.
What is even more interesting is that we haven’t heard yet of third-party charging stations with cables cut. This might indicate that the target is Tesla, probably because a lot of people still associate electric vehicles with the Tesla brand. Nevertheless, Tesla should step in and install security cameras at Supercharger locations to deter vandals from messing with the chargers.
Lately, one of the most common ones is the missing charging cables. This has become a nuisance for Tesla owners, as it appears vandals specifically target Tesla Superchargers. When you have a low state of charge and the charging station is the only one around, not being able to charge your car can turn into a life-threatening situation.
There are several accounts of Supercharger stations that went cableless in the past weeks and, according to service technicians, many of them have seen their cables being cut more than once. The reason that the cables keep getting cut is still under debate, ranging from selling the copper in the cables for profit to pure vandalism. While the latter seems a little far-fetched, it is not the first time that Tesla owners have fallen victims to vandalism or bullying from other road users.
To be sure, we’ve heard of cableless Superchargers before. In February a brand-new Supercharger station had the cables cut on all eight stalls even before Tesla owners found out about it. But in the past weeks, this has become a trend. Recent threads on Reddit show the cables were cut at two Supercharger locations in Oakland and Cincinnati, with the latter being vandalized for the second time in a week, according to a technician who came to replace the cables.
Apparently, the people who did this have specifically chosen the stalls that were not under video surveillance at the time. In Cincinnati, a security camera covers the last four stalls only, and those never had their cables cut. The phenomenon is now spreading to underground parking garages with Tesla charging stations installed. The video below is shot in an Oakland garage. The detail that sets this apart is that the cables are not cut close to the casing as before. Instead, the vandals left a part of the cable attached. This basically rules out copper harvesting as the reason behind the vandalism.
What is even more interesting is that we haven’t heard yet of third-party charging stations with cables cut. This might indicate that the target is Tesla, probably because a lot of people still associate electric vehicles with the Tesla brand. Nevertheless, Tesla should step in and install security cameras at Supercharger locations to deter vandals from messing with the chargers.
Ours too! pic.twitter.com/t4oiIY0Fgl
— Friend of Elon has FSD (Beta) (@FriendOfElon) May 6, 2022
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