Sales of Hybrid Electric (HEVs), Plug-in Hybrid Electric (PHEVs), Electric Vehicles (EVs) and other alternative fuel vehicles are dominating the future plans for the passenger car market. Almost all vehicle manufacturers have either released or are expecting to release at least one alternative fuel vehicle in the near future.

This new market for alternative fuel vehicles is expected to rise dramatically over the next ten years and is widely anticipated to account for around 10% of the global passenger car market by 2020.

New markets bring new challenges in terms of vehicle design, surrounding infrastructure and also in the fight against vehicle crime. Whilst alternative fuel vehicle-related theft may not be a large issue now (due to their low representation in the vehicle parc), there is a risk that vehicle manufacturers may overlook the new theft risks that these vehicles will introduce.

New vehicles fitted with high technology features and built with expensive materials, such as inside the vehicle battery, will be extremely attractive to thieves. Whilst it will take several years for a black market for parts and second-hand vehicles to fully develop, thieves will target these vehicles to sell the raw materials.

With plug-in vehicles there also comes a large amount of surrounding infrastructure, such as charging networks. Charging points and charging cables will also be prime targets for both thieves and vandals, either to steal copper content, entire cables or to steal the electrical power directly (comparable to current issues with fuel theft).

These vehicles are relying on the “utopian image” that has been created to drive customer demand and help increase sales. Vehicle manufacturers need to start seriously considering the causes and effects of hybrid and electric vehicle-related crime as soon as possible, before these issues do any long-term damage to the customer perception and market interest for these vehicles.

For more information or to buy Theft risks for Hybrid and Electric Vehicles, contact Juanita Appleby at jappleby@sbd.co.uk