A Redditor saw a sorry scene at an electric vehicle charging station in Oakland and needed to share it with r/EVgo, the subreddit dedicated to the charging station brand.
“Came across these EVgo chargers in Oakland today. They appear to be vandalized and abandoned,” wrote the original poster. “I assume if EVgo cares about their public image, perhaps they should either repair or remove the stations at this location in Oakland.”
The photo posted shows multiple charging stations with the cables cut and the fronts of the stations pried open.
“Not a good look,” OP said.
Electric vehicles are needed to cut down on pollution caused by gas-guzzling cars. That pollution has direct health risks to drivers and causes long-term environmental damage due to the warming effect it produces in the atmosphere. Driving an EV is cheaper in the long run, and even with the added environmental impact of manufacturing, the vehicles are still ultimately better for the planet.
When it comes to charging, some opponents of EVs have pointed out that grid energy sources β many of which include dirty fuels β play a role in powering these stations. But researchers, like the team at the International Council on Clean Transportation, have found that a dirty grid powering an EV is still better for the environment than using gas.
The benefits of EVs are contingent on a working charging infrastructure, however. Even once the labor is put in to install chargers in busy areas, destruction like that posted can undercut a lot of hard work and cause high maintenance strain on management companies. Reduced reliability in charging can turn off many potential EV owners from making the switch. Worse still, the problem isn’t limited to United States by any means. Chargers in the United Kingdom have been damaged by vandals, as have some in Canada.
Reddit commenters were dismayed to see the state of this charging infrastructure in Oakland.
“Sad. This is why we can’t have nice things,” said one community member.
“There’s a charger here in TX that hasn’t worked in a year. So. Good luck,” said another.
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