Electric mobility isn’t just about cars anymore. Sure, names like BYD and Tesla might dominate headlines, but EVs are transforming two wheels just as fast—sometimes even faster. From high-performance electric bikes like the Zero SR/F to practical urban commuters like the Ryvid Anthem, riders now have more options than ever. Even in the dirt, we’re seeing serious contenders in the electric motocross and UTV space.
And what ties them all together is the promise of quiet, clean, low-maintenance mobility. But all that promise falls apart if you can’t find a place to charge.
That’s the backbone of the EV revolution: charging infrastructure. And while most of the attention goes to car-focused stations, riders know how important public chargers are, especially for urban and in-between-town hops. Unlike cars, most electric motorcycles can’t squeeze in 300 miles of range. So unless you’ve got a Level 2 at home or work, public chargers are part of daily life.
That’s why what’s happening in the UK right now should be on every rider’s radar.
InstaVolt, one of the UK’s biggest and most rider-friendly fast-charging networks, has been hit by a wave of organized copper thefts. More than 700 charging stations have been vandalized. Thieves are sawing through charging cables—not for some high-tech components, but for the £20 to £25 (about $25 to $32) worth of copper inside. The cost to repair each station? Roughly £1,000 (around $1,280). And every time a station goes down, that’s one less lifeline for riders (and drivers) trying to top off on the go.
Copper theft might sound like a throwback crime, but it’s become a modern epidemic. Prices are up thanks to global demand and geopolitical tensions, especially with companies stockpiling ahead of looming US tariffs. The result? Not just broken EV chargers. Thieves have disrupted Eurostar train services, targeted wind farms, and are now going after some of the fastest-growing pieces of mobility infrastructure. And if you think this is just a UK problem, think again. The US has seen similar issues crop up around telecoms, solar farms, and construction sites. EV chargers are next if they aren’t already on the list.
To fight back, InstaVolt has developed a Kevlar-reinforced “cable shield” laced with forensic SmartWater—a kind of invisible marker that helps trace stolen materials. Of the 250 shields deployed so far, only one cable has been successfully cut. The company’s also using GPS trackers and hiring security guards. But they say police aren’t investigating, which is why they’re pushing to have EV chargers classified as critical infrastructure—a designation that would bring more attention and more teeth to law enforcement efforts.
But here’s the thing. Adding all this tech and manpower to safeguard charging infrastructure inevitably comes with a price. A price that consumers and end-users will likely have to absorb, all because a bunch of jerks decided it would be a good idea to make a quick buck out of stolen copper.
Indeed, these thefts affect all of us, even those still riding gas bikes. Every stolen cable increases operating costs, and those costs eventually get passed down. Whether it’s higher charging rates, delayed station rollouts, or just a damaged public perception, the ripple effect is real. It’s a textbook case of the many paying for the reckless actions of a few.
The future of riding is headed electric, at least in part. But for it to work, we need a charging network that’s fast, reliable, and secure. That means protecting the gear that powers us—whether we’re riding on two wheels or four. Because the last thing anyone wants is to get stranded because some idiot with a hacksaw wanted to make a quick buck.
Sources: The Telegraph, SFGate
