Daily incidence of electric vehicle charger cable thefts sweeping Germany, with approximately 70 charging points being systematically stripped for resale as copper scrap daily
In recent times, electric car charging businesses in Germany have been facing a persistent problem - cable theft. This issue, which has been escalating, has led to several inconveniences for both businesses and drivers.
The copper value of a single electric car charging cable is approximately €40 ($47), making it an attractive target for thieves. However, the repair cost to businesses for cable theft is significantly more than the copper value, leading to substantial financial losses.
The police authority in Hesse, Germany, has taken measures to combat cable theft at electric charging stations. EnBW, Germany's largest fast-charging network operator, has increased video surveillance at its charging stations. Alpitronic, another electric charging business, has implemented a software update to quickly register cable thefts.
Despite these efforts, neither EnBW's operational tweak nor Alpitronic's software update is preventative against cable theft. Reports suggest that 70 charging station cables were gutted for their cabling in a single day, a figure that has raised concerns about larger, more malign forces potentially being involved beyond simple thieves (conspiracy theory).
Philipp Senoner, CEO of Alpitronic, stated that 70 cables are cut daily. This high frequency of incidents has resulted in charging stations being out of service for around two weeks due to cable theft. EnBW has complained that 2025 is the worst year yet for cable thefts.
The convenient locations of many electric car charging stations, often found in supermarket parking lots, make them easy targets for cable thieves. Chargers are often left available to the public overnight, providing ample opportunity for theft.
At present, there is no obvious solution to the cable theft problem in Germany. This ongoing issue has been reported by Golem.de and Tom's Hardware, with the latter providing up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews through its newsletter. It is hoped that further investigations and innovative solutions will be developed to address this growing concern and ensure the smooth operation of electric car charging networks in Germany.
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