Video of shocking scene at EV charging station sparks outrage: 'They need to run cameras'
An act of vandalism at electric-vehicle charging stations has Redditors fired up.
A video posted on the r/TeslaModel3 subreddit shows a parking lot with four EV charging stations. At each station, the cables to the charging handles are gone, seemingly chopped off.
"I'm thinking it's an angry gas driver that does this," the person filming the video says. "Literally cut them all."
EVs have never been more popular, with some experts predicting that one-quarter of cars sold globally this year will be electric.
Sadly, with that popularity has come backlash. Some people spout inaccuracies about the cars, saying that mining for their batteries makes EVs worse for the environment than gas-powered vehicles (it doesn't). On top of that, EVs and their charging stations have become frequent targets of vandalism.
Social media is rife with examples of this, including additional examples of cables being cut or stolen from public charging stations. Security cameras have also caught people red-handed keying EVs.
Some of the vandalism may be political in nature. Tesla CEO Elon Musk spent much of 2024 and 2025 getting involved in politics, including a brief stint heading up the Trump Administration's Department of Government Efficiency. As that happened, Tesla cars and dealerships were vandalized more frequently.
The video also highlights some of the frustrations that can arise when using public charging stations. One solution is to charge EVs at home, which can be more cost-effective when done using clean, low-cost energy generated by rooftop solar panels.
EnergySage, a source fully vetted by The Cool Down, offers free tools that allow homeowners to compare quotes from local, verified solar installers, and to see what solar incentives are available in their area.
As for this act of vandalism, many commenters believe whoever cut the charging cables likely did so to take and sell the copper wiring inside. Copper prices have reached record highs in 2025, and CNN reported that prices are likely to keep soaring.
Would you go out of your way to stop at a business that has EV charging stations?
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Only on road trips
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"Copper thief?" one commenter asked. "They need to run cameras at EV chargers."
Others feared that this type of vandalism will become more common and potentially fuel the anti-EV flames.
"I really think as EVs become a lot more popular, this behavior will surge and become a major point in the culture wars," one wrote.
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