As EV cable theft rises again in 2026, a new defence steps up for Portuguese charge point operators

With Portuguese law enforcement logging a growing number of cable thefts from 2025 to 2026, new V4 cut protection for CableGuard helps to protect charge point operators from €thousands of losses at their highest-risk sites by making cable theft prohibitive, even for organised criminals using angle-grinders and other power tools.

Canterbury, UK, 1 October 2026: CableGuard®, the EV cable theft prevention and deterrent from Formula Space, has launched a new V4 cut protection option for charge point operators (CPOs) facing the most severe cable theft attacks.

The upgrade is engineered specifically to defeat the increasing number of thieves forming part of organised crime groups, who are undertaking more brazen attacks using angle grinders and other power tools.

Cable theft is now a board-level concern for charge point operators. In 2025, charge point operators separately reported more than 720 stolen cables across 300 charging stations, causing in the region of €6 million in losses to the sector.

Vern Pollard, cable theft response expert and director at Formula Space, said, "Operators tell us the problem isn’t just the theft, it’s the escalation in the severity of the attack and the extent of the damage. As thieves get more sophisticated, charge point operators need us to apply the same thinking to the theft prevention solutions we create. V4 cut protection is our direct answer to that: a new technology that not only protects cables from being taken in high-risk areas but also acts as a deterrent for the future."

The V4 cable sleeve effectively renders useless power tools used during an attack, by blunting the tools effectiveness. It changes the economics of a cable attack: turning a job that once took seconds into a slow, costly and highly conspicuous activity. The sleeve is fully retrofit, installs in 20 minutes, and has been verified by leading charger manufacturers including Nidec, Wallbox and Kempower.

Giovanni Gonnelli, Head of Asset Operations & Maintenance – Global at Atlante said, "Atlante operates in France, Spain, Italy, Switzerland and Portugal, and cable theft looks much the same in each market. It's one of the biggest threats and challenges every CPO in this industry has to face. CableGuard® protects our network in each of them. Formula Space have put serious work into solving cable theft for the industry as a whole, and that commitment is why we chose them across all our markets."

V4 cut protection is part of the modular CableGuard solution, developed, engineered and manufactured by Formula Space, the European experts in EV charging infrastructure and protection. CableGuard is already in use and proven as a solution across Europe among large, well, known and established charge point operators including TotalEnergies, Atlante, InstaVolt, Allego, Atlante, Electrip and Plug-inn (Renault)

CableGuard is one example of how Formula Space partners with EV charge point operators across the UK and Europe, listening to operator challenges, designing and developing solutions end-to-end to ensure it meets those needs.

Delvin Lane, CEO at InstaVolt UK, who worked with Formula Space on the development of earlier CableGuard versions, said: “As the UK’s leading ultra-rapid EV charging network, we’re always pursuing opportunities to enhance the reliability and security of our sites. Partnering with Formula Space on the development of CableGuard has allowed us to directly support a solution to the growing industry challenge of EV cable theft. I’m pleased to see the collaboration delivering a solution that we believe will make a real difference, not just for InstaVolt as a business, but for our loyal customers who rely on our network.”

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Editors notes

About CableGuard

CableGuard® is the industry-leading EV cable theft protection system, developed and engineered by Formula Space. It is the Europe's first and most widely deployed EV cable theft deterrence system, and is already installed across thousands of sites globally and adopted by operators including TotalEnergies, Atlante, InstaVolt, Allego, E.ON, RAW Charging and Sainsbury's Smart Charge.

About Formula Space

Formula Space is an end-to-end specialist in EV charging site infrastructure, helping charge point operators across the UK and Europe to design, build, maintain and secure high-performing charging sites. Its services span operator branding, bay marking, signage, solar canopies and theft deterrence, delivered as a single-source model that helps operators prioritise user experience, reliability and long-term operational efficiency.

More information: https://formula-space.com/