ChargePoint has had enough of vandalizing thieves who saw through EV charger cables to steal valuable copper — so now it’s making new “cut-resistant” cables and adding alarm systems in an attempt to mitigate the damage.

ChargePoint, one of the nation’s largest charging networks, has announced plans to reduce EV charger vandalism at every location. The plan has two main components. First, ChargePoint is introducing new cut-resistant cables that are designed to prevent cable theft, which it claims include “novel cut-resistant materials integrated into the cable.”

The Campbell, California-based charging network announced Thursday a two-pronged plan to deter EV charging equipment vandalism. The first step is adding new cut-resistant cables that ChargePoint hopes spreads industry-wide. The second is a new alarm system called ChargePoint Protect.

ChargePoint CEO Rick Wilmer spoke to Ars Technica and explained how he decided to take action after chargers at the company’s own Silicon Valley headquarters were repeatedly cut. Here is how he describes making the new cable:

The charging infrastructure for electric vehicles in the U.S. has been criticized for years, and though much of the criticismsurrounds malfunctioning chargers, vandalismis another issue. According to the Electric Vehicle Charging Association,

EV charging cables have been targeted by copper thieves in the past. A 2024 Associated Press report noted an increase in reported cable thefts that coincided with rising copper prices. Such thefts leave big repair bills for charging-station owners and fewer available chargers for EV drivers.

Additionally, ChargePoint has developed an alarm to go with the uncuttable cables, called ChargePoint Protect. "If an attempt is made to cut a cable, and you've got this feature turned on in our software, then you've got all these flashing lights and loud sirens. It's pretty obnoxious," Wilmer said.

Vandalism is a major concern with electric vehicle chargers – technically electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) if you’re feeling pedantic. It seems a day doesn’t go by where there isn’t a news story about some EV chargers getting deliberately damaged or having their cables hacked off,

ChargePoint is tired of thieves cutting the cables at its EV charger stations, so it installed anti-theft cables and alarm systems to prevent vandalism

But the problem has become particularly acute for electric vehicle drivers in recent years, as many have come to roll up on public chargers for much-needed juice ... only to find the cables cut and gone,