Overly long queues at Supercharger stations have made it extremely difficult for Tesla owners in the United Kingdom to charge their cars, signaling the need for better EV charging infrastructure. Of all the reasons why people are skeptical about switching to electric models, charging is at the forefront. For someone accustomed to refueling their gasoline car within minutes, the thought of waiting a few hours to recharge a car's battery just doesn't make sense. There's been a longstanding debate over what automakers and industry stakeholders can do to remedy the situation – more fast charging stations or improved EV charging speeds.While vehicular traffic is known to peak during the holiday season, the increased presence of electric models has resulted in a new problem – long wait lines at charging stations. Tesla drivers in the UK experienced prolonged queues at Superchargers due to increased demand. Tesla user Jamie Waters tweeted that he waited 2 hours and 30 minutes to charge his Tesla at the Tebay Supercharger. "Worst journey as @Tesla driver. Q now 40 deep!," the tweet reads. According to a report by Metro, similar cases have been reported across the UK this season, leaving the drivers disgruntled.
EV Drivers Need Better Charging Infrastructure
Beyond the fact that driving EVs benefits the environment, more people are switching from gasoline models because of low maintenance costs and the incentives attached. However, Tesla drivers’ experience in the UK echoes a major problem with electric mobility. The network of charging stations is growing at too slow a rate. The situation needs to improve not just for the sake of the current EV drivers, but also for those who are considering the switch.
Reports like this may discourage people from considering an EV purchase. After all, findings from a recent study indicate that many people are hesitant to switch to EVs despite an increased interest in the models. With queues of EVs being spotted at many charging stations, it's safe to assume that more people are buying electric models, but adoption will be slower until the charging stations problem is fixed.
There have been efforts to tackle the issue of insufficient charging stations. Tesla already has over 40,000 Superchargers worldwide. Based on the available information on Supercharger charge times, a Tesla EV can add up to 200 miles within 15 minutes. Third-party providers like Electrify America and EVgo are also expanding their respective public charging networks. In June, the U.S. government shared its plans to make charging more affordable and accessible to all drivers by collaborating with stakeholders to populate the country with chargers. As Tesla and other providers install more chargers, the wait times for EV drivers should significantly improve.
Sources: Jamie Waters/Twitter, Metro