Why Are So Many Public EV Chargers Broken?

[Stanjj]

Great Video ... thanks for sharing.

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[duncanmclain]

Out here in Seattle, I’ve noticed a lot of cut cords. Anything “copper” equates to $ for those living day to day (the new catalytic converter). I’m a new owner and have only charged at home but have been checking out charging stations around town to get a sense of availability. Having just installed the Station Pro unit with the cost of a 35’ run from the panel and 25’ of charging cord opened my eyes.
Good to hear cut/stolen cords not mentioned as a reason of frustration in other areas.

If someone was to cut the charging cable of a live charger, wouldn't they get shocked?

 

[Solar_EE]

That could be a potential Darwin award winner! But really the cord would not be energized if it's not connected to a vehicle.

 

[HitchRide]

Just talked to a nice couple that have owned ev’s for a few years about the cut cords. They mentioned it’s a “thing” out here and added that the stations are taking their time to replace them. Seattle may need to start using aluminum cords and marking them as such. Sad state of reality. https://komonews.com/news/local/veh...washington-truck-drive-cable-app-supply-chain

 

[MM in SouthTX]

If I could generalize, most EV drivers seem to be happy drivers, and a few ICE drivers seem to be angry hostile resentful (of what?) drivers. Is it the price of gas? Is it their CO exhaust their are breathing too much of? Is it the noise their tail-pipes and engines make grating on their nerves? Or just that they can't tolerate change?

Is this an example of a happy EV driver? Not nice.

 

[ExCivilian]

I've been predicting cut cords for over a year here and for many years elsewhere. EVs are, and have been, a rich person's prerogative and as soon as low-income/high-crime areas become more saturated with expensive infrastructure we'll see more of this. Anyone who has experience with construction and/or vacant buildings in such areas already has had to deal with these kinds of issues in regards to house wiring, for example.

Along with that is the very real problem of hooking an expensive vehicle up to the charge cable and not being able to leave quickly in an emergency. Unlike a fuel hose, which will detach when the vehicle is driven away attached, or the fact an ICE can even start and run while fueling, EVs both can't be started while charging and the cable won't slip off. That creates more danger in terms of car jackings and kidnappings among other violent crimes.

As for why so many chargers are broken, I'm guilty of not watching this video but it's long been my contention that it's simply not economically viable to run these chargers at current pricing. Building them out is subsidized but sending electricity through them is subject to commercial rates and demand/surge pricing that residential power consumers don't tend to have to pay. Unlike other commodities, bulk electricity doesn't get less expensive the more it's used--it becomes more expensive. Couple that with the lucrative deals these companies are forging for "free" charging for vehicle manufacturers and it simply doesn't pencil out for them to deliver fast, high-quality experiences to not-their-customers.

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