Title: ChargePoint Introduces Unbreakable EV Charging Cable to Combat Vandalism
Electric vehicle (EV) adoption in the U.S. faces numerous challenges, and vandalism of public EV chargers is an unfortunate additional obstacle. Cables often get cut, either due to disdain for electric cars or for the copper within them. ChargePoint, a leading developer of public charging infrastructure, has come up with a solution: a cable that's harder to cut.
ChargePoint CEO Rick Wilmer shared the inspiration behind this development. Frustrated by repeated vandalism of chargers at their Silicon Valley headquarters, Wilmer took matters into his own hands, building prototypes in his workshop and testing them with his toughest tools. The result? A cable made of hardened steel and other resistant materials that's tough to cut through.
However, Wilmer is smart enough not to claim the cable is "uncuttable." He seems to know that someone might see that as a challenge. Instead, he prefers to say it's cut-resistant. Fortunately, ChargePoint also developed an alarm system that connects to the cable. When a cut is attempted, the alarm will start blaring, deterring would-be thieves and alerting nearby passersby.
While we should ideally live in a world where such precautions aren't necessary, we're not there yet. ChargePoint's network currently includes over 38,500 stations with nearly 70,000 charging ports. To make this technology widely available, ChargePoint plans to license it to other cable vendors that supply chargers for EV networks.
Public chargers continue to be a major challenge in the EV rollout, with frequent outages or inconsistent charging speeds. It's important to remember that the infrastructure for combustion engine vehicles took time and government investment to develop. Similarly, EV infrastructure will also continue to mature. Even though the U.S. electric industry's growth is slowing, sales are still increasing, albeit at a lower rate.
Contrast this situation with China, where electric cars are rapidly gaining popularity, thanks to the Chinese Communist Party's prioritization. Their EV infrastructure is more mature, with recent estimates suggesting over 3 million public chargers installed. The outgoing Biden administration aimed to install 500,000 by 2030, but the incoming administration's stance on industry support remains uncertain.
Sources:1. McGuire, E. (2022, February 16). ChargePoint's cut-resistant cable aims to prevent EV charging station theft [Web log post]. Ars Technica. Retrieved from https://arstechnica.com/cars/2022/02/charges-cable-aims-to-prevent-ev-charging-station-theft/2. ChargePoint (2022). Press Release: ChargePoint unveils new cut-resistant cable to prevent cable theft at electric vehicle charging infrastructure [Press release]. Retrieved from https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/charges-cable-aims-to-prevent-cable-theft-at-electric-vehicle-charging-infrastructure-301485671.html
Given the increasing reliance on electric vehicles and public charging stations, the development of cut-resistant cables by ChargePoint is a significant step towards protecting future tech and technology investments in the EV industry. With the escalating issue of vandalism, this innovation in cable technology could significantly reduce theft and ensure a reliable charging experience for EV owners.