(No apologies to Jane Austen)

Definitely an "OK Boomer" episode, but there are signs things are getting better.

Electric-vehicle fast charging can be a headache for drivers because the reliability of public charging hardware is still catching up to the growing number of EVs on the road. Many stations suffer from broken or weather-damaged screens that make it hard—or impossible—to start a charging session or follow on-screen instructions. When the display is unreadable or unresponsive, even experienced drivers can’t tell whether the charger is available, what steps to take, or how much they’ll pay. These issues are especially frustrating on long trips, where drivers rely on fast chargers to stay on schedule and have fewer alternatives if a station isn’t working correctly.

Payment systems are another frequent pain point. Non-functioning credit-card readers, unreliable tap-to-pay modules, or apps that fail to connect leave drivers stuck in limbo, forced to retry multiple times or move to another stall. Add to that the occasional faulty cables, chargers delivering far below their advertised speed, or stations that are offline entirely, and the experience can feel more like trial-and-error than convenient refueling. While the situation is improving as networks upgrade equipment and adopt common standards, today’s fast charging infrastructure can still test a driver’s patience.