Photo Credit: iStockIf you own an electric vehicle, you may already know how convenient charging at home can be. On longer drives, though, public fast charging does not always go as smoothly as drivers expect. One Hyundai Ioniq 5 passenger took to Reddit and said their first EV road trip was a rude awakening, with charging that was slower, pricier, and more complicated than expected.In a post on the r/ElectricVehicles forum, the user described a weekend trip in an Ioniq 5 that became a crash course in the realities of public charging. The group first relied on Google Maps to find charging stations along the trip. Unfortunately, they ran into slow charging speeds, inoperable plugs, and full stations. AdvertisementAdvertisementThe original poster said the experience made them feel that EVs are not always convenient if you don't rely on at-home charging. "I now understand why more Americans aren't getting EVs now," they wrote. The experience points to one of the biggest remaining barriers to wider EV adoption: Road-tripping still is not as simple as pulling into any gas station. However, despite this driver's frustrations, local governments, major retailers, and startups are rushing to expand America's EV charging network. In fact, recent data shows that more than 3,300 fast-charging ports were added across the United States in the first few months of 2026 alone. At the same time, charger reliability has continued to improve, with many states reporting uptime rates between 90% and 95%, making it easier for drivers to count on public charging when they need it.And for drivers who charge at home, EV ownership can be much cheaper and easier day to day. AdvertisementAdvertisementWhile some commenters agree that EV charging has a long way to go, others pointed out that there are EV-specific mapping tools that make all-electric road trips more convenient than Apple or Google maps. "Stop using Google Maps to plan EV road-trips! It is entirely inadequate," one user wrote. Commenters said drivers should not rely on general-purpose map apps alone. They repeatedly recommended A Better Route Planner, PlugShare, and Chargeway to filter for compatible chargers, check charging speeds, and avoid stations that are full or too slow for the vehicle.Commenters were also quick to point out that even if long road trips can sometimes require a bit more planning in an EV than in a gas-powered car, the everyday benefits often outweigh that inconvenience. AdvertisementAdvertisementFor most drivers, the vast majority of trips are short daily commutes, errands, and local travel, where EVs can offer lower fuel costs, and reduced maintenance expenses. Many owners said those ongoing savings and conveniences make the occasional extra charging stop on a road trip well worth it."Road trips in EVs aren't quite as convenient but the 100x more frequent every day commuting is better," one commenter added.Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
+73 others
![Hyundai, Hyundai Ioniq, Hyundai reveals IONIQ 9 Black Ink, and we got a first look [Images]](https://cdn.topcarnews.net/thumb/id/aHR0cHM6Ly9pMC53cC5jb20vZWxlY3Ry-ZWsuY28vd3AtY29udGVudC91cGxvYWRz-L3NpdGVzLzMvMjAyNi8wNC9IeXVuZGFp-LUlPTklRLTktQmxhY2stSW5rLWltYWdl-cy5qcGVnP3c9MTUwMCZhbXA7cXVhbGl0-eT04MiZhbXA7c3RyaXA9YWxsJmFtcDtz-c2w9MQ/4902cfeb4ea7521a36890d27747ab0dd.jpeg)
![Hyundai, Hyundai Ioniq, Hyundai reveals IONIQ 9 Black Ink, and we got a first look [Images]](https://cdn.topcarnews.net/thumb/id/aHR0cHM6Ly9pMC53cC5jb20vZWxlY3Ry-ZWsuY28vd3AtY29udGVudC91cGxvYWRz-L3NpdGVzLzMvMjAyNi8wNC9IeXVuZGFp-LUlPTklRLTktQmxhY2stSW5rLWltYWdl-cy00LmpwZz9zdHJpcD1pbmZvJmFtcDt3-PTIwMDAmYW1wO3NzbD0x/c79fdadc149175509c5b22819a03b190.jpg)
![Hyundai, Hyundai Ioniq, Hyundai reveals IONIQ 9 Black Ink, and we got a first look [Images]](https://cdn.topcarnews.net/thumb/id/aHR0cHM6Ly9pMC53cC5jb20vZWxlY3Ry-ZWsuY28vd3AtY29udGVudC91cGxvYWRz-L3NpdGVzLzMvMjAyNi8wNC9IeXVuZGFp-LUlPTklRLTktQmxhY2stSW5rLWltYWdl-cy01LmpwZWc_c3RyaXA9aW5mbyZhbXA7-dz0yMDAwJmFtcDtzc2w9MQ/46a8ba558fed11b4a4442fc1f5678629.jpeg)
![Hyundai, Hyundai Ioniq, Hyundai reveals IONIQ 9 Black Ink, and we got a first look [Images]](https://cdn.topcarnews.net/thumb/id/aHR0cHM6Ly9pMC53cC5jb20vZWxlY3Ry-ZWsuY28vd3AtY29udGVudC91cGxvYWRz-L3NpdGVzLzMvMjAyNi8wNC9IeXVuZGFp-LUlPTklRLTktQmxhY2stSW5rLWltYWdl-cy1zaWRlLTEuanBnP3N0cmlwPWluZm8m-YW1wO3c9MjAwMCZhbXA7c3NsPTE/34794ead4369b7f87d9b1657f08fd61a.jpg)
![Hyundai, Hyundai Ioniq, Hyundai reveals IONIQ 9 Black Ink, and we got a first look [Images]](https://cdn.topcarnews.net/thumb/id/aHR0cHM6Ly9pMC53cC5jb20vZWxlY3Ry-ZWsuY28vd3AtY29udGVudC91cGxvYWRz-L3NpdGVzLzMvMjAyNi8wNC9IeXVuZGFp-LUlPTklRLTktQmxhY2stSW5rLWltYWdl-cy0zLmpwZWc_c3RyaXA9aW5mbyZhbXA7-dz0yMDAwJmFtcDtzc2w9MQ/e7607f4ded25be6e1cfbf37060df1436.jpeg)
![Hyundai, Hyundai Ioniq, Hyundai reveals IONIQ 9 Black Ink, and we got a first look [Images]](https://cdn.topcarnews.net/thumb/id/aHR0cHM6Ly9pMC53cC5jb20vZWxlY3Ry-ZWsuY28vd3AtY29udGVudC91cGxvYWRz-L3NpdGVzLzMvMjAyNi8wNC9IeXVuZGFp-LUlPTklRLTktQmxhY2stSW5rLWludGVy-aW9yLmpwZWc_c3RyaXA9aW5mbyZhbXA7-dz0yMDAwJmFtcDtzc2w9MQ/9ae5e29228732760dafafde6167cec89.jpeg)
![Hyundai, Hyundai Ioniq, Hyundai IONIQ 3 spotted in real life for the first time [video]](https://cdn.topcarnews.net/thumb/id/aHR0cHM6Ly9pMC53cC5jb20vZWxlY3Ry-ZWsuY28vd3AtY29udGVudC91cGxvYWRz-L3NpdGVzLzMvMjAyNi8wNC9IeXVuZGFp-LUlPTklRLTMtRVYtc3BvdHRlZC5qcGVn-P3c9MTUwMCZhbXA7cXVhbGl0eT04MiZh-bXA7c3RyaXA9YWxsJmFtcDtzc2w9MQ/b669220c3e3bd7e0e899c809b2a7a256.jpeg)
![Hyundai, Hyundai Ioniq, Hyundai IONIQ 3 spotted in real life for the first time [video]](https://cdn.topcarnews.net/thumb/id/aHR0cHM6Ly9lbGVjdHJlay5jby93cC1j-b250ZW50L3VwbG9hZHMvc2l0ZXMvMy8y-MDI2LzA0L0h5dW5kYWktSU9OSVEtMy1k-ZWJ1dC5qcGVn/787cce3e4302f840fbfa7256377e095e.jpeg)
![Hyundai, Hyundai Ioniq, Hyundai IONIQ 3 spotted in real life for the first time [video]](https://cdn.topcarnews.net/thumb/id/aHR0cHM6Ly9pMC53cC5jb20vZWxlY3Ry-ZWsuY28vd3AtY29udGVudC91cGxvYWRz-L3NpdGVzLzMvMjAyNi8wNC9oeXVuZGFp-LWlvbmlxLTMtdW52ZWlsLWludGVyaW9y-LTIuanBnP3N0cmlwPWluZm8mYW1wO3c9-MTAyNCZhbXA7c3NsPTE/81118887097832659e518f0b4076cee1.jpg)
![Hyundai, Hyundai Ioniq, Hyundai IONIQ 3 spotted in real life for the first time [video]](https://cdn.topcarnews.net/thumb/id/aHR0cHM6Ly9pMC53cC5jb20vZWxlY3Ry-ZWsuY28vd3AtY29udGVudC91cGxvYWRz-L3NpdGVzLzMvMjAyNi8wNC9oeXVuZGFp-LWlvbmlxLTMtdW52ZWlsLWludGVyaW9y-LTEuanBnP3N0cmlwPWluZm8mYW1wO3c9-MTAyNCZhbXA7c3NsPTE/0155c2d02a9e186d4934972b6081631d.jpg)
![Hyundai, Hyundai Ioniq, Hyundai IONIQ 3 spotted in real life for the first time [video]](https://cdn.topcarnews.net/thumb/id/aHR0cHM6Ly9pMC53cC5jb20vZWxlY3Ry-ZWsuY28vd3AtY29udGVudC91cGxvYWRz-L3NpdGVzLzMvMjAyNi8wNC9oeXVuZGFp-LWlvbmlxLTMtdW52ZWlsLWludGVyaW9y-LmpwZWc_c3RyaXA9aW5mbyZhbXA7dz0x-NDAwJmFtcDtzc2w9MQ/7dcf602bc8a228ad976dbb49001cdec7.jpeg)
![Hyundai, Hyundai Ioniq, Hyundai IONIQ 3 spotted in real life for the first time [video]](https://cdn.topcarnews.net/thumb/id/aHR0cHM6Ly9pMC53cC5jb20vZWxlY3Ry-ZWsuY28vd3AtY29udGVudC91cGxvYWRz-L3NpdGVzLzMvMjAyNi8wNC9IeXVuZGFp-LUlPTklRLTMtZGVidXQtZnJvbnQtc2lk-ZS5qcGc_c3RyaXA9aW5mbyZhbXA7dz0x-MDI0JmFtcDtzc2w9MQ/521e3e2ed1bd4d03bbb543951c2c61bb.jpg)
![Hyundai IONIQ 3 standard version first look [Video]](https://cdn.topcarnews.net/thumb/id/aHR0cHM6Ly9pMC53cC5jb20vZWxlY3Ry-ZWsuY28vd3AtY29udGVudC91cGxvYWRz-L3NpdGVzLzMvMjAyNi8wNC9IeXVuZGFp-LUlPTklRLTMtc3RhbmRhcmQtZmlyc3Qt-bG9vay5qcGVnP3c9MTUwMCZhbXA7cXVh-bGl0eT04MiZhbXA7c3RyaXA9YWxsJmFt-cDtzc2w9MQ/0665fdb1d2e384269093acdcb27871bc.jpeg)
