Ask almost any driver what puts them off electric vehicles and the answer is rarely technical. It is emotional. Charging “takes too long”. Journeys feel disrupted. The stop feels heavier than a five-minute fuel splash ever did.
The paradox is that, in real terms, many EV charging stops are not dramatically longer than traditional breaks. What has changed is not the clock. It is how time is experienced.
Time Feels Longer When You Are Uncertain
Human perception of time stretches when outcomes are unclear. Waiting ten minutes for something predictable feels shorter than waiting five minutes when you do not know what will happen next.
EV charging introduces uncertainty in ways petrol never did. Will the charger start? Will the speed be as expected? Will the session stop unexpectedly? These unanswered questions slow time psychologically, regardless of the actual duration.
Fuel Stops Were Passive. Charging Is Active.
Refuelling a petrol car requires almost no engagement. You swipe, squeeze, replace the nozzle, and leave. The driver’s role is minimal.
Charging asks more of the driver. Choosing a bay, confirming a tariff, initiating a session, monitoring progress. Each decision adds cognitive load, which makes the wait feel longer, even when the clock disagrees.
Predictability Shrinks Time
Drivers who report the least frustration with charging are not always using the fastest chargers. They are using the most predictable ones.
When expectations match reality, time compresses. A reliable 25-minute stop that unfolds exactly as expected often feels shorter than a theoretically faster stop filled with uncertainty and interruptions.
Designing for Time, Not Speed
- Clear session outcomes from the start
- Minimal decisions at the charger
- Useful activities during the stop
- Reliable, repeatable experiences
Faster charging matters, but it is not the full solution. The real breakthrough will come when charging feels mentally lighter, not just technically quicker.
