TL;DR
Get bike and ride gear delivered free with Prime
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
- Member-only deals all year
San Diego EV drivers have reported waiting for public fast chargers used by Waymo robotaxis, with one driver telling the Los Angeles Times that the cars arrive in groups. Waymo says it prioritizes its own charging depots and tries to avoid crowding stations; EVgo says the chargers are open to both private drivers and robotaxis. The scale and frequency of the reported delays have not been established.
San Diego EV drivers say Waymo robotaxis are taking up public fast-charging stalls, leaving some motorists waiting or looking for another station, according to reporting by the Los Angeles Times. Waymo says it prioritizes its own charging hubs and tries to prevent its vehicles from crowding one location, while EVgo says its chargers are available to private drivers and robotaxis alike. Waymo’s latest safety numbers have also drawn attention.
One driver told the Los Angeles Times that the Waymo vehicles arrive “in droves.” The report said some drivers had waited up to an hour or gone to another charging location. Those accounts describe individual experiences; the available reporting does not establish how often such waits occur or how many drivers are affected.
Waymo told the newspaper that it has staff at some public charging sites to help its robotaxis as they arrive and that it tries to avoid concentrating vehicles at a single station. The company said it prioritizes its own charging hubs. Its Jaguar I-Pace cars and Zeekr vans, including vehicles driven by human workers during breaks, may also use public chargers, a spokesperson said.
EVgo told the Los Angeles Times that its San Diego chargers are open to both private electric vehicles and robotaxis. The report does not describe Waymo as violating charger rules. The conflict described is over access to limited stalls, rather than a reported enforcement action or a change to charging policy.
Public Chargers Face Fleet Demand
Public fast chargers are shared infrastructure for individual motorists and commercial fleets. When several vehicles from a robotaxi operator use the same site, private drivers may have fewer open stalls at the moment they need to charge. That can mean a longer stop or a trip to another location, particularly for drivers who depend on public charging rather than home equipment.
The reports also point to an operational challenge for companies expanding fleets into new cities: dedicated facilities may not be ready immediately. Waymo says it favors its own hubs, but its use of public stations shows that private infrastructure does not always cover every charging need. The available accounts do not quantify the effect on station availability or establish that Waymo use is the main cause of broader charging delays.
Popular right now
De'Longhi Magnifica Evo Fully Automatic Espresso Machine with Manual Milk Frother, Silver
Sony BRAVIA 5 85-Inch Mini LED 4K HDR Smart TV (K-85XR50)
Dyson Car+Boat Cordless Handheld Vacuum
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Waymo’s Fleet Needs Local Hubs
Waymo operates robotaxi services in 15 cities, according to the supplied report. It uses dedicated depots for charging and vehicle maintenance, but building out those facilities can take time when the company enters a new market. Public charging can serve as a supplement while a local operation grows.
Complaints about Waymo vehicles using public chargers have also appeared in social media posts from Nashville and St. Louis, according to the report. These posts are reports of complaints, not an independently measured account of station use in those cities. The article also cites earlier neighborhood concerns involving Waymo vehicles, but those issues are separate from the San Diego charging reports.
“They come in droves.”
— An EV driver quoted by the Los Angeles Times
How Often Stalls Are Occupied
The frequency and scale of the delays remain unclear. The reporting includes driver accounts, including a reported wait of up to an hour, but does not provide charger-use data, a count of affected stations, or a comparison with normal demand. It is also unclear how many Waymo vehicles use public chargers in San Diego, how long they remain plugged in, and whether their use is concentrated at particular times.
The report does not identify a new restriction, investigation, or formal dispute over access. Waymo’s account of efforts to avoid crowding and its stated preference for private depots are company statements; the available information does not independently measure how well those practices are working.
Private Charging Capacity in San Diego
The immediate issue is whether Waymo can meet more of its fleet’s charging needs at its own facilities as its local service grows. The company has said it prioritizes its depots, but the report does not give a timeline for additional charging capacity or describe a specific construction plan for San Diego.
Further evidence about station occupancy, wait times, and fleet charging patterns would help show whether the complaints reflect occasional congestion or a recurring strain on public sites. Until such information is available, public chargers remain open to both groups under the arrangement described by EVgo, and drivers’ reported waits are the clearest indication of the current friction.
Key Questions
Are Waymo robotaxis using public fast chargers in San Diego?
Yes. The Los Angeles Times report says some Waymo vehicles use public fast-charging stations in San Diego. Waymo says it prioritizes its own charging hubs but also described public-station use.
Are Waymo vehicles breaking charger rules?
The supplied report does not say they are. EVgo told the Los Angeles Times that its San Diego chargers are available to both private EV drivers and robotaxis.
How long have drivers had to wait?
Some drivers reportedly waited up to an hour or went to another station. The report does not establish how common those waits are.
What does Waymo say about the complaints?
Waymo says it prioritizes its own depots, has staff at some public charging locations, and tries to avoid having vehicles crowd one station. The report does not provide data to assess the frequency of crowding.
Source: insideevs.com
