Multi-continental EV charging community ChargePoint has launched two new options to fight a looming menace for electrical automobile homeowners utilizing public charging stations: vandalism and theft. Right this moment, ChargePoint shared particulars of a brand new cut-resistant EV charging cable and a brand new alarm system to extend safety and deter theft close to the pile. You’ll be able to see extra within the video under.
Having hit a million international charging ports in 2024, ChargePoint operates as a veteran in EV infrastructure and has spent current years increasing and implementing new applied sciences to assist simplify the general course of for its clients.
Final summer time, the community launched a brand new “Omni Port” that mixes a number of charging plugs into one single port. It ensures EV drivers of almost any make and mannequin can cost at any ChargePoint house. Weeks later, ChargePoint launched extra expertise to deal with one other headache amongst EV drivers charging publicly – upkeep.
The corporate has since carried out AI to bolster dependability inside its charging community by figuring out points extra rapidly to enhance uptime and thus ship higher charging community reliability – one thing EV drivers have been pleading to have for years.
Whereas we cowl loads of different charging networks right here on Electrek, ChargePoint is commonly probably the most attention-grabbing, as a result of its updates aren’t all the time simply community expansions or larger cost charges. As an alternative ChargePoint has used its sources to develop and implement revolutionary options to real issues many EV drivers face frequently.
Right this moment, ChargePoint is addressing one other frustration within the EV infrastructure section: vandalism and theft. For all you gasoline guzzlers who assume it’s humorous to chop your native EV charger’s cable and steal it, ChargePoint has some new anti-theft measures to damage your pathetic and callow thought of enjoyable.
ChargePoint introduces anti-theft EV chargers and cables
We’ve all seen it a minimum of as soon as, whether or not it was in particular person or posted by a fellow EV driver someplace on the web. You get to a public pile and the cable has been severed and worse, stolen. Discovering an open, fully-functional charger is difficult sufficient if many areas, and to come back to search out that some ignorant particular person minimize by way of your nearest entry to electrical energy in your automobile’s battery could make your blood boil.
Not anymore… a minimum of at ChargePoint charging stations.
Right this moment, the corporate launched what it’s calling the business’s first cut-resistant charging cable. ChargePoint says its staff wielded its fifteen years of expertise in EV charging to design a cable with novel cut-resistant supplies constructed into it to discourage vandalism and theft. Whereas the brand new cable will not be fully cut-proof, it’s considerably harder to vandalize and decommission whereas remaining versatile for drivers to make use of with ease.
ChargePoint shared plans to ChargePoint roll out its new cut-resistant cables to all of its industrial and fleet charging stations and plans to (selectively) license its design to different charging station producers in an “business main effort to fight cable theft and vandalism.”
Along with the brand new EV cable, the corporate additionally launched a brand new anti-theft charger alarm system known as ChargePoint Shield. The brand new alarm system makes use of a ChargePoint charger’s current audio system, screens, and lighting parts to create alerts and deter any can be vandals.
ChargePoint Shield is able to detecting charging cable tampering in actual time and may mechanically have interaction its alarm system and may instantly push SMS and electronic mail notification to clients utilizing a given station, in addition to the homeowners of that pile. Regulation Enforcement will also be alerted.
ChargePoint Shield might be activated on choose charging station fashions at no extra price by way of a cloud-based software program system improve. The corporate expects ChargePoint Shield to be obtainable starting this month. ChargePoint CEO Rick Wilmer spoke about each new anti-theft options offered at the moment:
ChargePoint Shield and our cut-resistant cables display our relentless dedication to offering a reliable charging community. We don’t view ourselves as vicAms of vandalism, however relatively liable for fixing it, not just for our clients however for the business. We’re sharing the expertise to fight vandalism in probably the most aggressive approach attainable with the purpose to get rid of charger reliability as a hinderance to EV adoption.
You’ll be able to study extra about these new anti-theft EV merchandise in addition to licensing alternatives on the ChargePoint web site and see them in motion within the video under.
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