Waymo’s Robotaxis Keep Occupying Public Chargers, and Drivers Are Fed Up

October 31 — Driving an electric car to a public fast charger and finding every bay taken by Waymo robotaxis — that is already happening in San Diego, California. Local EV owners say they sometimes queue for an hour or have to find another station.

The Los Angeles Times reported on the 30th that Waymo is expanding rapidly across the US and now serves 15 cities. But as the fleet grows, some drivers have run into unexpected trouble.

Waymo has dedicated maintenance and charging depots, yet some robotaxis still use public fast chargers.

“They arrive in packs,” one driver complained to the newspaper.

Waymo says it stations staff at some public charging sites to help vehicles plug in, and tries to avoid having its cars cluster at the same site.

A spokesperson also said some human-driven vehicles use public chargers during breaks. Waymo prefers its own charging hubs, but building dedicated facilities in new markets takes time.

The friction with EV owners also reflects the unexpected problems autonomous vehicles bring once they enter city operations.

Complaints are not limited to San Diego. EV owners in Nashville and St. Louis have also accused Waymo vehicles of hogging public chargers. Last year, Santa Monica residents complained about the noise of Waymo cars returning after overnight service, with parking sensors beeping and lights flashing. In San Francisco, residents reported Waymo vehicles honking at each other at their depot in the middle of the night.

EVgo, a charging network that partners with autonomous vehicle companies, explains that its San Diego chargers were always open to both private drivers and robotaxis, so Waymo’s use of public chargers breaks no rules.

For ordinary drivers who depend on those sites, though, legal does not mean painless.