Products · Pattern or everyday thing
Public EV charging
Raised as a usability problem by 24 people on Hacker News over 6 years (2021–2026), in 19 threads.
No issue was raised by at least 3 people in 3 threads this year.
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Every issue, all time, most people first
Nearby chargers are incompatible or too slow for real useUnreviewed
20212026- Public chargers are often broken or have terrible payment experiences, making charging a hassle2024-11-29
- Chargers are often broken, occupied, or have software problems, making road trips a pain2024-02-18
- Must pre-plan charging stops, and chargers are often full or not working2024-01-12
Chargers require a bank-linked app that often fails, with no cash or receiptsUnreviewed
20212026- Payment and charging apps fail, forcing cash or long app downloads and registration before charging starts2024-05-18
- Chargers need a bank-linked app that often fails, with no cash or receipts2024-04-04
- Chargers fail to connect or accept card, forcing repeated attempts and app downloads2024-04-04
Multiple charging apps and deposits needed, and stations are hard to findUnreviewed
20212026- Must set up multiple charging apps and deposits; charging stations hard to find and use2026-09-25
- Must download app, create account and find charger before charging, unlike gas stations2026-01-20
- Had to download a separate app for each charging spot2024-01-11
Unreviewed issues were grouped by machine: Claude Haiku labelled each comment as a usability complaint, named what it's about and summed up the problem in a line, and a small model grouped similar problems. Nobody has checked them by hand. Expect mistakes.
The newest 23 complaints
- Must set up multiple charging apps and deposits; charging stations hard to find and use2026-09-25
- Must download app, create account and find charger before charging, unlike gas stations2026-01-20
- Driving across Europe means fiddling with broken chargers, cables and different payment cards2025-06-25
- Public chargers are often broken or have terrible payment experiences, making charging a hassle2024-11-29
- Payment and charging apps fail, forcing cash or long app downloads and registration before charging starts2024-05-18
- Renters must check maps to find chargers, adding uncertainty and friction while traveling2024-04-04
- Chargers need a bank-linked app that often fails, with no cash or receipts2024-04-04
- Chargers fail to connect or accept card, forcing repeated attempts and app downloads2024-04-04
- Chargers are often broken, occupied, or have software problems, making road trips a pain2024-02-18
- Public chargers force account applications and sign-ups instead of simple card payment2024-02-07
- Must pre-plan charging stops, and chargers are often full or not working2024-01-12
- Spent hours hunting chargers with the right plug, working and available2024-01-12
- Hard to find working chargers and start charging; app rejected non-Swiss credit card2024-01-11
- Had to download a separate app for each charging spot2024-01-11
- Hard to find a compatible fast charger that is actually working2023-11-30
- Fast chargers are often full, forcing long waits with no nearby alternative.2023-10-15
- Nearby chargers were incompatible or too slow for real use2023-07-27
- Public chargers are always occupied, with lines of people waiting for a free spot2023-07-03
- Chargers fail to detect the car, show boot screens, or charge far too slowly2023-04-12
- Must sign up with several networks, each with different contracts and prices, to charge2021-04-27
- Chargers are confusing, unreliable and often need several tries to work2021-02-27
- Chargers are hard to activate and often require membership or a custom app2021-01-27
- Mall charging spots are often full, forcing drivers to circle and lose time2021-01-23