Theft of EV charging cables rises in France

In France, the theft of charging cables at highway charging stations is increasing, leaving electric vehicle drivers stranded in the middle of the night. With millions of euros in damages and responses from companies such as Engie Vianeo and Kempower, this new problem has not yet reached its peak. There are already 427 complaints related to the theft of charging cables, for a cumulative damage estimate of 9 million euros. Some networks speak of hundreds of stations targeted, with costs for repairs that explode. Drivers often discover the problem at the last moment, by the roadside.

Copper theft fuels the crisis

At the heart of this wave of theft of cables on charging stations, there is always the same metal: copper, nicknamed "red gold." Its price reaches up to ten euros per kilo at some scrap dealers, a level that stimulates greed. However, the cables of fast charging stations contain a lot of it, sometimes several kilograms for a single charging point. For a thief, a few minutes are enough to take something that can be sold for several hundred euros.

Costs for operators are massive

For the operators of charging stations, the bill has nothing to do with this. The replacement and repair can reach up to 8,000 euros per charging point, not counting the sometimes damaged electronics when the cable is cut hastily. On some cases, the bill rises very quickly: 52 cables stolen in the Bouches-du-Rhône represented about 120,000 euros, eight stations exposed in Lieusaint in Seine-et-Marne generated nearly 260,000 euros in damage, while a series of about fifteen thefts around Toulouse was estimated at 300,000 euros. Engie Vianeo, which operates fast charging stations, reports a loss of about 350,000 euros related to these repeated thefts.

Theft tactics are spreading

On the A62 highway, near Toulouse, the coordinated theft of cables rendered 14 Engie Vianeo fast charging stations out of service all at once. Some drivers had to call for a tow truck, as they could not charge on site. Theft targets willingly the stations that are less frequented at night, where they can operate quickly, sometimes with just a portable angle grinder. Series of attacks have been reported in Seine-et-Marne, in the North, in Occitanie or in the Bouches-du-Rhône. The methods are circulating quickly: during recent arrests, some suspects explained that they had learned the techniques of detection and quick cutting of cables directly through tutorials on TikTok. In parallel, a gang specialized has acted on at least 650 stations since the beginning of the year, for more than 14 million euros in damage, with an average cost of about 20,000 euros per station.

Operators and authorities respond

Faced with this spiral, the operators and public authorities are gradually tightening ranks. Engie Vianeo claims to have found "a cable model impossible to cut," according to Challenges, to equip its most exposed stations. Some manufacturers, such as Kempower, are betting on invisible liquid tracers applied to the cables: in case of a cut, the product marks the hands, clothes and tools of the thieves, detectable later under ultraviolet light and resistant to washing. The networks are also strengthening video surveillance, installing detachment sensors, and cooperating more with the police.

Legal actions and policy discussions

The judiciary is also beginning to take a firmer grip on the issue. The court in Évry-Courcouronnes has thus sentenced a perpetrator of charging cable theft to 12 months in prison under electronic monitoring, and his accomplice to 12 months with probation. A decision that illustrates the will to increase sanctions, while professional organizations such as MOBILIANS warn about the multiplication of these attacks in certain departments. At the political level, questions have been raised in the Senate on the traceability of copper and the control of scrap dealers, to complicate the flow of this stolen metal.

Tips for drivers to avoid disruption

In the meantime, as these measures produce their effects, drivers can adopt some reflexes to limit the bad surprises on the road: consult before departure the charging applications, photos and recent comments to check that a station has not been vandalized; plan a backup charging plan nearby, especially on long trips or with a low margin of autonomy; in case of stolen or damaged cable, avoid any manipulation, note the charging station identifier and immediately inform the operator via the assistance number indicated; diversify, when possible, the charging locations (home, work, AC stations where you use your own cable), to rely less on a single fast charging station.