Are we still convinced that electric vehicles are the best way forward?
- Thread starter Roscobbc
- Start date
Roscobbc
Moderator
I'm reminded last year of a large extended 'new', perhaps 95% complete self-build property local to us where the owner/builder Julian died on-site before completion. The property sat for many months (and is still sitting empty) where the 'strippers' moved-in and ripped-out all the copper water and gas piping........but not turning the gas off! - local residents later reported the smell of gas in the street.......subsequently half the street was cordoned-off by the police, residents forced to leave their homes while a 'team' came-in to make the place safe.
phild
CCCUK Member
Unfortunately the police seem unable/unwilling to do anything about this sort of thing, except maybe issue a crime number, and so thefts increase as the criminals know they can get away with it.
CaptainK
CCCUK Member
If we're talking about people nicking stuff - I was at the West Somerset Railway recently speaking to some of the maintenance crews. They sadly often get people nicking copper and scrap metal etc. But of the funniest ones was where a thief had nicked a load of metal, and then just a few days later tried to sell it to a scrapyard just across the town from the WSR in Minehead..... who immediately recognised it as railway related and the thief was apprehended. Dopey thief stealing railway stuff and selling it in the same railway town 
Chuffer
CCCUK Member
You are so right phil it`s sad to say . Much of the metal thieving is carried out by Pikies known to the Police but are too scared to do anything about it .
Chuffer
CCCUK Member
I doubt there is a Heritage Steam Railway in the land that hasn`t been hit my thieves . I was on the Severn Valley Railway for 31 years and we got done over several times . We had to spend money we could ill afford on enhanced security systems , steel barriers etc . to stave of theft and reduce insurance premiums . When it was my turn to be Duty Shed Master it was my final job of the shift to ensure the site was secure , all barriers locked and alarms set last thing at night . Then be first up in the morning to open up the Loco Shed and Workshops again .If we're talking about people nicking stuff - I was at the West Somerset Railway recently speaking to some of the maintenance crews. They sadly often get people nicking copper and scrap metal etc. But of the funniest ones was where a thief had nicked a load of metal, and then just a few days later tried to sell it to a scrapyard just across the town from the WSR in Minehead..... who immediately recognised it as railway related and the thief was apprehended. Dopey thief stealing railway stuff and selling it in the same railway town
The last 4 years I have spent on the Great Central Railway at Loughborough and the Loco Shed & Workshops have been raided too . Thieves have learned that heavy Phosphor Bronze and brass boiler fittings and valves are worth a fortune . Also the approximately 1 inch diameter by 5 inch long copper firebox stays are £50 each to buy and a large loco has approx. 1,500 of them . We buy them by the sack load and are a prime target . A lot of components are stored on site in rows of old shipping containers that have multi padlocks under tamper proof steel covers but thieves just angle grind through them !!!
CaptainK
CCCUK Member
You know Chuffer, after the last 2 days (see my other post), when you say fancy buzz words like "stays" and stuff - I now understand it all
And yes, its horrid that heritage lines get hit like this. After having a small glimpse of seeing it all working, it makes me sad as to why someone would do that to a bunch of hardworking mostly volunteer people.
And yes, its horrid that heritage lines get hit like this. After having a small glimpse of seeing it all working, it makes me sad as to why someone would do that to a bunch of hardworking mostly volunteer people.
Chuffer
CCCUK Member
Just wait until I get on to Foundation Rings , Large and Small Ejectors , and Super Heater Headers . Not to mention Throat Plates , and Peticoats !!You know Chuffer, after the last 2 days (see my other post), when you say fancy buzz words like "stays" and stuff - I now understand it all
CaptainK
CCCUK Member
I now recognise a fair few of those words. Recognise I said.... my knowledge isn't that great after only two daysJust wait until I get on to Foundation Rings , Large and Small Ejectors , and Super Heater Headers . Not to mention Throat Plates , and Peticoats !!
Chuffer
CCCUK Member
The next tutorial will be on return cranks , crossheads , expansion links , union links and compensation links . That`s when it begins to get complicated !!I now recognise a fair few of those words. Recognise I said.... my knowledge isn't that great after only two days
teamzr1
Supporting vendor
Across the U.S., thieves have been targeting electric vehicle (EV) charging stations to steal the cables that contain copper wire.
The price of copper has reached a record high on global markets, making it a potentially lucrative steal for thieves.
When these cables are removed, often the entire charging station becomes inoperable, forcing EV owners to find another location to charge their vehicles. In areas where charging station options are limited, this can be an especially taxing situation.
According to the Citrus County Chronicle, about 4 in 10 U.S. adults say they believe EVs take too long to charge, or they're unaware of any charging stations nearby.
With an increased loss of chargers due to the thefts, U.S. automakers face a new obstacle in their efforts to convert more Americans to EVs.
The possibility that a charging station could be available but disabled from the loss of integral cables, has the potential to push already skeptical buyers to stick with traditional gasoline-fueled or hybrid vehicles.
This poses a threat to major automakers, who have placed large financial wagers on buyers making the switch from combustion engines to EVs due to increased consequences of climate change.
Stellantis is one manufacturer that could feel the effects of these robberies. By the end of 2030, they predict that 50 percent of its passenger cars will be EVs. Ford set a target of two million EVs per year by 2026 but has since suspended that goal. General Motors pledged to sell only EV passenger cars by 2035.
As with any financial bet, the success of these endeavors is dependent upon the response of would-be EV buyers and the ability of these manufacturers to convince such customers to make that switch.
If they can't assure customers that they'll be able to find operable charging stations for their vehicles, then achieving these goals becomes difficult.
According to Electrify America, which runs the second-largest network of direct-current fast chargers, a cable might be cut perhaps every six months at one of its 968 charging stations, with 4,400 plugs nationwide.
Through May this year, the figure reached 129. Anthony Lambkin, Electrify America's vice president of operations, said that a Seattle station had its cables cut six times in the past year.
Flo and EVgo, two other EV charging companies, have reported an increase in thefts as well. In the Seattle area, these stations seem to be a frequent target.
Just this year, Seattle police have reported seven cases of cable thefts, matching the number for the entirety of 2023. Additionally, sites in Nevada, California, Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Oregon, Tennesse, Texas, and Pennsylvania have also been hit.
EVgo reported that law enforcement is investigating these thefts while it tries to repair inoperable stations and looks for a long-term solution.
In the past month or so, Houston has reported eight or nine thefts, said Sgt. Robert Carson, leader of a police metal theft unit. Before this, the Houston police had no knowledge of cable thefts in the area. In one case, a Tesla station had been targeted, with 18 of the 19 cords stolen. According to Carson, in the first five minutes he was there, around 10 EVs had to be turned away.
"They're not just taking one," Carson says. "When they're hit, they're hit pretty hard."
Charging companies believe that thieves are after the copper that the cables contain. In late May, copper hit a record high of nearly $5.20 a pound, a result, in part, of rising demand to cut carbon emissions with EVs that use copper wiring. The price is up around 25 percent from a year ago.
However, charging companies claim that the amount of copper in the cables isn't very high and extracting it is a difficult job. Carson estimates that for one cable a criminal might get anywhere from $15 to $20 at a scrap yard.
One issue for the charging companies is the cost of replacing those cables. In Minneapolis, it costs around $1,000 to replace just one cable, says Joe Laurin, project manager in the Department of Public Works for the city.
In an effort to fight back, Electrify America has started to install more security cameras around their charging stations.
In Houston, police have begun visiting recycling centers to look for stolen metal. It's hard, though, for scrapyards to determine whether the metal being sold to them came from a charging cable, as thieves often burn off the insulation and sell only strands of metal.
The Recycled Materials Association is issuing scrap-theft alerts from law enforcement officials so that members can be on the lookout for suspects and stolen goods.
"We'd like to get them stopped," says Carson. "And then let the court system do what they're supposed to."
The price of copper has reached a record high on global markets, making it a potentially lucrative steal for thieves.
When these cables are removed, often the entire charging station becomes inoperable, forcing EV owners to find another location to charge their vehicles. In areas where charging station options are limited, this can be an especially taxing situation.
According to the Citrus County Chronicle, about 4 in 10 U.S. adults say they believe EVs take too long to charge, or they're unaware of any charging stations nearby.
With an increased loss of chargers due to the thefts, U.S. automakers face a new obstacle in their efforts to convert more Americans to EVs.
The possibility that a charging station could be available but disabled from the loss of integral cables, has the potential to push already skeptical buyers to stick with traditional gasoline-fueled or hybrid vehicles.
This poses a threat to major automakers, who have placed large financial wagers on buyers making the switch from combustion engines to EVs due to increased consequences of climate change.
Stellantis is one manufacturer that could feel the effects of these robberies. By the end of 2030, they predict that 50 percent of its passenger cars will be EVs. Ford set a target of two million EVs per year by 2026 but has since suspended that goal. General Motors pledged to sell only EV passenger cars by 2035.
As with any financial bet, the success of these endeavors is dependent upon the response of would-be EV buyers and the ability of these manufacturers to convince such customers to make that switch.
If they can't assure customers that they'll be able to find operable charging stations for their vehicles, then achieving these goals becomes difficult.
According to Electrify America, which runs the second-largest network of direct-current fast chargers, a cable might be cut perhaps every six months at one of its 968 charging stations, with 4,400 plugs nationwide.
Through May this year, the figure reached 129. Anthony Lambkin, Electrify America's vice president of operations, said that a Seattle station had its cables cut six times in the past year.
Flo and EVgo, two other EV charging companies, have reported an increase in thefts as well. In the Seattle area, these stations seem to be a frequent target.
Just this year, Seattle police have reported seven cases of cable thefts, matching the number for the entirety of 2023. Additionally, sites in Nevada, California, Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Oregon, Tennesse, Texas, and Pennsylvania have also been hit.
EVgo reported that law enforcement is investigating these thefts while it tries to repair inoperable stations and looks for a long-term solution.
In the past month or so, Houston has reported eight or nine thefts, said Sgt. Robert Carson, leader of a police metal theft unit. Before this, the Houston police had no knowledge of cable thefts in the area. In one case, a Tesla station had been targeted, with 18 of the 19 cords stolen. According to Carson, in the first five minutes he was there, around 10 EVs had to be turned away.
"They're not just taking one," Carson says. "When they're hit, they're hit pretty hard."
Charging companies believe that thieves are after the copper that the cables contain. In late May, copper hit a record high of nearly $5.20 a pound, a result, in part, of rising demand to cut carbon emissions with EVs that use copper wiring. The price is up around 25 percent from a year ago.
However, charging companies claim that the amount of copper in the cables isn't very high and extracting it is a difficult job. Carson estimates that for one cable a criminal might get anywhere from $15 to $20 at a scrap yard.
One issue for the charging companies is the cost of replacing those cables. In Minneapolis, it costs around $1,000 to replace just one cable, says Joe Laurin, project manager in the Department of Public Works for the city.
In an effort to fight back, Electrify America has started to install more security cameras around their charging stations.
In Houston, police have begun visiting recycling centers to look for stolen metal. It's hard, though, for scrapyards to determine whether the metal being sold to them came from a charging cable, as thieves often burn off the insulation and sell only strands of metal.
The Recycled Materials Association is issuing scrap-theft alerts from law enforcement officials so that members can be on the lookout for suspects and stolen goods.
"We'd like to get them stopped," says Carson. "And then let the court system do what they're supposed to."
Mad4slalom
Well-known user
Ev’s … my zbrother in law came down yesterday, from pembrokeshire to cornwall in his tesla , towing a little sailing dinghy. He had to stop at carmathen, bristol and exeter to charge then went out after tea to top up at fraddon ready to go on to falmouth today. And he has no issues with having to spend all the time snd hassle waiting around , I just dont get it, life’s too short! Ps the whole thing for him is not anything to do with saving the planet, he is just a squeaky tight arsed farmer. 
Chevrolet
CCCUK Member
Haven't read all the above. Life's too short! (as above) and I know why I don't want/can't have an EV. But see that Harry (Metcalfe) has gone back to a diesel. Obviously that's what suits him/his family best. Watched all the video tho. Does it add anything to the above conversation/Is he right what he is saying?
Could you not wire the containers to the mains somehow, I'm sure that would sort them out.
Chuffer
CCCUK Member
Does he have an EV tractor and combine harvester too ?Ev’s … my zbrother in law came down yesterday, from pembrokeshire to cornwall in his tesla , towing a little sailing dinghy. He had to stop at carmathen, bristol and exeter to charge then went out after tea to top up at fraddon ready to go on to falmouth today. And he has no issues with having to spend all the time snd hassle waiting around , I just dont get it, life’s too short! Ps the whole thing for him is not anything to do with saving the planet, he is just a squeaky tight arsed farmer.
Mad4slalom
Well-known user
He actually has an E. quaddy type pick up y thingy, turbines and solar panels , yet his wife can still only use the washing machines on sunny and windy days and cant bring her 2 kg dumbells down on holiday due to range /weight EV issues!!Does he have an EV tractor and combine harvester too ?
. Going out to the vette shed to smell some petrol and oil now as yet again cornwall is heavy showers and windy today and the A30 is shut so all our local vette run roads are busy busy .
Chuffer
CCCUK Member
Those E quad thingies are fekin useless . The National Trust went over to E Gators a few years ago when I was volunteering on buildings and estates maintainance . They ditched all the 2 cylinder diesel Rough Terrain quad trucks . The gators couldn`t pull the skin of a rice pudding and were so slow on even modest inclines it was quicker to get and walk . My regular duties took me all over the 1,000 acres of Stowe Landscape Gardens and Deer Park and and on more than one occasion I barely made it back to the Maintenance Yard by midday on low battery !! Faster tooHe actually has an E. quaddy type pick up y thingy, turbines and solar panels , yet his wife can still only use the washing machines on sunny and windy days and cant bring her 2 kg dumbells down on holiday due to range /weight EV issues!!
.The Diesel ones would run for several days on a tank full ( small tank too ) and would lug a loaded flatbed through mud and snow , no trouble .Looking forward to getting my Vette out if it ever stops raining . Had a real humdinger storm in Northants this this afternoon and wild strong winds . A bit of shock to the system having been in Italy for previous week with wall to wall sunshine every day and temps of 29 degrees C .