British charging solutions provider Evolt Charging has partnered with U.S. company CatStrap to distribute its cable protection technology in the United Kingdom, as rising incidents of charging cable theft continue to impact EV infrastructure operators.
The collaboration will see Evolt become the UK distributor for CatStrap’s EV Cable Protector, a hardened cover designed to prevent thieves from cutting through charging cables. The system, which has already proven successful in North America, features two flexible steel strips running along the length of the cable. Hardened to a Rockwell hardness of 55 HRC, the strips are tougher than most cutting tools, effectively blunting or breaking blades before they can sever the cable. Even after three minutes of cutting, about 90 percent of the protected cable reportedly remains intact.
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“We’re proud to partner with Evolt Charging to bring our EV Cable Protector technology to the UK,” said David Birsen, Vice President of CatStrap. “After protecting thousands of public chargers across North America in high-theft areas with virtually 100% success, we’re excited to extend that protection to UK operators. Evolt’s nationwide service capability, operational excellence, and expertise in charge point hardware make them the ideal partner to ensure consistent, high-quality installations and successful implementation of our products.”
Unlike the Dye Defender system that CatStrap tested with Tesla earlier this year—which sprays a dye on would-be thieves—the EV Cable Protector relies on a mechanical defense, not chemical deterrents. The system is already being adopted by MFG, a major UK petrol station and charging provider, as seen in official press materials.
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Evolt Charging, which builds and maintains charging infrastructure for multiple charge point operators, has been proactive in combating theft. Earlier this year, the company introduced an alarm system for charging cables. The new partnership comes as the UK faces a surge in thefts—over 200 cases have been reported in recent months, resulting in millions of pounds in damages. The issue has also grown in Germany, where market leader EnBW has reported hundreds of damaged charging stations since the start of the year.
With the addition of CatStrap’s reinforced protection technology, Evolt aims to provide charge point operators with a more resilient and cost-effective solution to a problem that has rapidly escalated across Europe’s expanding EV charging network.
