Charging your Tesla at a Supercharger station might soon come with an unexpected feature — anti-theft dye explosions.
As cable theft continues to plague charging stations, Tesla is rolling out a high-tech deterrent to stop criminals in their tracks.
Tesla has been battling a rising wave of cable thefts at its Supercharger locations, where criminals cut through charging cables to steal copper. The stolen copper is worth only around $30, while the cables themselves cost up to $2,200 to replace.
With electric vehicle (EV) adoption growing and more public chargers being deployed, Tesla is determined to protect its infrastructure from costly vandalism.
To fight back, Tesla is now testing DyeDefender, a self-defense mechanism for charging cables. Here’s how it works:
If a thief cuts the cable, an internal protective hose sprays dye in all directions, marking them (and their tools) with an unmistakable stain.
The cables are engraved with "Property of Tesla Motors", making them harder to resell at scrap yards.
According to Mobilsiden, the goal is to make stolen cables worthless to thieves, discouraging future thefts.
Already Being Tested at Supercharger Stations
Tesla has already begun deploying the DyeDefender system at select Supercharger stations in the U.S.. Max de Zegher, Tesla’s head of charging, confirmed that the new cables are currently being tested at a Seattle Supercharger station.
If the trial proves successful, Tesla may roll out the system globally, protecting charging stations worldwide.
It’s still too early to say whether Tesla’s dye-spraying cables will put an end to theft altogether, but it’s a major step toward securing EV charging infrastructure.
As electric cars become the norm, protecting charging stations from vandalism and copper theft will be crucial—not just for Tesla, but for the entire industry.
