Public charging of EVs has consistently been a source of contention when it comes to adopting EVs. While EV drivers love the low cost of electricity and convenience of household charging, public charging has been plagued with slow speeds, broken-down machines, and obnoxious pay stations.
But new figures create a puzzled picture: some are improving, but new problems emerge.
The Good News: Improved Chargers
As per latest J.D. Power information, charging dependability is increasing. In late 2024, fewer than 1 in 5 charging attempts didn't go through. Today, that rate is about 14%.
That translates to fewer motorists showing up at a station and discovering it offline or with an error message. For long-haul drivers and fleets, that's a significant improvement.
The Bad News: User Satisfaction Is Falling
While reliability is improving, overall satisfaction with public charging is declining. Why?
Rising Costs – Fast-charging prices are rising, and in some locations, it can be as high as or even higher than the cost of gas.
Payment Troubles – Drivers often have to deal with buggy apps, unpredictable pricing models, or membership requirements.
Speed Expectations – With announcements about 15-minute or megawatt chargers, drivers are less tolerant of older, slower chargers.
Why This Matters for EV Adoption
For EV adoption to achieve scale, public charging must be as convenient as gas stations: reliable, reasonably priced, and easily accessible. Today, variable experiences discourage many potential buyers.
Automakers, utilities, and charging companies are being pressured to:
Standardize payment mechanisms (tap-and-go, universal pricing)
Expand fast-charging networks to reduce wait times
Improve maintenance to minimize downtime
What Drivers Can Do
Plan ahead – Use apps like PlugShare or ChargePoint to see station status en route.
Find good networks to rely upon – Some providers are always better than others in terms of uptime and price transparency.
Stay in the loop – With new ultra-fast chargers going live, charging experiences should be improved.
The Bottom Line
The EV charging network is improving incrementally, but the user experience has not gone very far. It's improving in terms of reliability, but elevated prices and legacy infrastructure enrage drivers.
The next massive breakthrough won't just be faster chargers—it will be to get charging as easy, as reliable, and as inexpensive as gas pump fueling.
Thinking about getting an EV charger for your business or home? Explore our curated selection of high-performance EV charging stations here.