While electric vehicles (EVs) have become increasingly popular, challenges remain for drivers relying on public charging stations during long-distance trips. A Hyundai Ioniq 5 owner, who has been driving an EV for nearly five years, shared recent experiences highlighting the persistent difficulties encountered on the road despite improvements to charging infrastructure.
Charging at home remains the most cost-effective and convenient option for EV owners. The driver noted that overnight charging, when electricity rates are lower, costs about $4.40 for a full charge that delivers nearly 400 kilometres of range. By contrast, fueling a comparable gas-powered sedan for the same distance is estimated to cost approximately $60 based on current gas prices. For an annual driving distance of 12,000 kilometres, charging at home would total around $132, offering significant savings along with the convenience of charging during off-peak hours.
However, the situation changes when longer trips force drivers to rely on public charging stations. On a recent Saturday journey from Toronto to London, Ontario, the driver experienced charging fees of 69 cents per kilowatt-hour at two Ivy charging stations, translating to roughly $40 for 400 kilometres—a price still lower than gasoline, but considerably higher than home charging.
More concerning than cost, the driver described the public charging experience as frustrating due to inconsistent performance and reliability issues. Some fast chargers that advertise 100 kilowatts output operated at only half that capacity, extending charging times from 20 to 40 minutes. Additionally, working chargers were sometimes difficult to access, requiring app-based activation processes that could fail, leaving some ports unusable. Locations of chargers—often in exposed or inconvenient areas of parking lots—also detracted from the overall convenience, especially in adverse weather.
The experience varied notably between networks. The driver’s account focused on non-Tesla stations, which were described as less reliable, whereas Tesla owners benefit from a more robust and expansive network, which is gradually becoming available to other manufacturers.
Despite these setbacks, the driver expressed cautious optimism about ongoing improvements. Industry data indicates a 17.4 percent year-over-year growth in the total number of charging stations as of March 2026, with fast charger availability increasing by 33.6 percent due to new market entrants. Additionally, federal government investments aim to expand and upgrade the charging network.
Ultimately, the driver emphasized that home charging remains the dominant mode of energy replenishment for city-dwellers—accounting for about 95 percent of their charging—and that many corridors have improved over time. Still, occasional long trips often highlight the gaps in infrastructure and user experience, underscoring that while EV technology is advancing, public charging on extended journeys can still be a significant challenge for many drivers.