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:

Stealing copper from EV charging cables is all the rage right now, thanks to a high market price of $4.44 per pound. This is great for thieves since the cables are incredibly easy to access, but it leaves EV owners in one hell of a pickle - especially since EV chargers are still fairly rare outside of major cities (though that is changing).

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.

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

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.

ChargePoint announced a new initiative to protect its equipment from vandalism and damage. The company’s simple but surprisingly clever plan has two components. One, they’re going to put alarms on their chargers,

ChargePoint (NYSE: CHPT) has announced two new security solutions aimed at addressing vandalism and theft at electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. The company introduced a cut-resistant charging cable and ChargePoint Protect,