EV Cable Theft in Europe: Rising Threat to Charging Stations

The Rising Threat of High-Voltage Cable Theft from EV Charging Stations in Europe

As the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) accelerates across Europe, a surprising and costly challenge has emerged: the theft of high-voltage charging cables from EV charging stations. These cables, essential for rapid charging, contain valuable copper, making them a prime target for metal thieves.

Scope and Frequency

Cable theft from EV stations has surged over the past few years, particularly in countries with dense EV infrastructure like Germany, the Netherlands, France, and the UK. Operators have reported hundreds of incidents annually, with some hotspots seeing repeated thefts from the same stations. Organized criminal groups are believed to be behind many of these thefts, targeting both public and private charging points, especially during the night or in poorly monitored locations.

Financial and Operational Damages

The consequences of these thefts are twofold:

Financial Losses: A single high-voltage cable can cost between €500 and €2,000 to replace. When labor and downtime are factored in, the total cost per incident often exceeds €5,000. For large operators managing networks of hundreds or thousands of stations, this results in significant recurring expenses.
Service Disruption: More critically, the removal of cables renders charging stations inoperable, causing frustration for EV drivers and undermining confidence in the infrastructure. In some rural areas, this can leave drivers with no nearby charging options for extended periods.

Response and Prevention

To combat this growing problem, charging station operators and municipalities are investing in preventive measures such as surveillance cameras, tamper-proof cable designs, and real-time monitoring systems. Some are experimenting with underground cable systems or retractable designs that limit access when not in use. In the meantime, off

However, this is not enough and often these measure lead to even greater damages. Therefore, it is vital to fundamentally identify what causes a cable to be easily stolen and what mitigation actions can be taken. A structured approach to problem solving, adopting quality disciplines and lesson learnt from automotive industry is vital in order to fix problems at source.

Additionally, law enforcement agencies across Europe are cooperating more closely to track and dismantle criminal networks trafficking in stolen copper and EV equipment.

Conclusion

High-voltage cable theft is an emerging issue that threatens the reliability and trust in Europe’s EV charging infrastructure. As EV adoption continues to rise, so must efforts in proper root cause identification of critical issues in the charging network to ensure uninterrupted access, improved customer experiences and long-term financial sustainability.