A city in California, which had been making notable strides in the installation of electric vehicle (EV) chargers, has been forced to start over due to an all-too-common yet unfortunate incident.
According to a late July report by the Times-Herald, the city of Vallejo had successfully installed new chargers at four downtown parking lots through a partnership with EVCS and had begun constructing charging stations at three community centers.
Vandalism Discovered at New Charging Stations
However, the Times-Herald “visited every new charging station” and found that the wires had been deliberately cut.
One station was even found with caution tape wrapped around it, highlighting the extent of the damage.
Power Activation Delayed
The parking lot that was the first in line for opening the charging stations had been awaiting approval from Pacific Gas & Electricity to activate the power.
Although the exposed wires at that location were covered with electrical tape, the Times-Herald noted that other exposed wires at different sites were not given the same treatment.
City’s Awareness and Response Remain Unclear
It remained unclear whether the city was fully aware of the extent of the damage, as officials had not provided any response to inquiries.
Despite requests for comment, city representatives have yet to address the situation publicly, leaving the community uncertain about the city’s knowledge and next steps.
New Installations Unaware of Nearby Vandalism
In a particularly striking and somewhat ironic instance, workers who were in the midst of installing new chargers at a community center were only a few feet away from the stations that had already been vandalized.
The close proximity of the ongoing installation to the damaged stations highlighted the unfortunate reality that the vandalism had occurred right under their noses, unnoticed until much later.
Replacement Timeline
They were unaware of the cut wires until they were pointed out to them.
A worker mentioned that the vandalized stations had been installed just that same week, but now, “it could take weeks to get replacements,” as reported by the Times-Herald.
Estimated Costs of Vandalized Charging Wires
In total, 29 charging wires had been affected by the vandalism.
The Times-Herald estimated that if the wires cost the same as those from similar companies, the city could be facing a bill for “more than a half a million dollars and change for chargers that the public hasn’t been able to use yet.”
Widespread Vandalism of EV Infrastructure
Unfortunately, this kind of targeting of EV infrastructure is not an isolated occurrence.
In various cities, EV chargers have become frequent targets for vandals, creating significant challenges for both residents and city officials.
Minnesota-St. Paul Area Vandalism
For example, in the Minnesota-St. Paul area, officials found that approximately 83 chargers had been damaged.
This resulted in expensive repairs and a shortage of available charging stations for EV owners.
Impact on Sustainable Transportation
This kind of vandalism hampers efforts to promote cleaner transportation and environmental sustainability.
It also imposes unnecessary costs and delays on the development of crucial infrastructure.
Lack of Comment on Enhanced Security Measures
The Times-Herald also noted that the city of Vallejo had previously declined to comment on whether it would increase security at locations with newly installed charging stations.
Despite concerns, city officials have not yet addressed whether additional protective measures will be implemented at these sites.
Uncertainty Around Charger Activation Timeline Due to Vandalism
Vallejo Transportation Program Superintendent Mark Helmbrecht had previously stated that the goal was to have the chargers operational by 2025.
However, it is now uncertain how much the recent vandalism will delay these plans.
