How much of a hassle is public EV charging if you live in an apartment?

[Jeffrey_C]

I'm considering an EV for my next car, but I live in an apartment without a dedicated charger. I keep checking ev charging near me on the apps, and there are a few stations, but they're often occupied or broken. For those without home charging, how much of a daily hassle is it really to rely entirely on public infrastructure?

[CharlesL]

Relying on public charging isn glamorous but its doable with a plan The average daily drive in the US sits around 37 miles, so youre likely to top up every few days rather than fully charge every day That said, there are days when stations are busy or out of service, and you can run into slowdowns citeturn0search4turn0search0

[EvelynL]

Map out three to five reliable public chargers along your normal routes and at a couple of places you already visit Having backups reduces the daily friction and helps you avoid perfect-storm scenarios

[Ethan68]

Public charging tends to cost more per kWh than home charging—about 37 cents vs around 17 cents—so the wallet impact adds up if youre charging often citeturn0search3

[ZacharyFM]

Build a low-friction routine: plan a stop during errands, use a fast charger if youre in a rush, and keep a small backup strategy in case a station is down

[JacobP]

Look for work or retail charging options near you and ask in your building HOA or with nearby businesses if they have options Community charging can close the gap

[NatalieWP]

If you want, tell me your city and your typical weekly schedule and Ill sketch a rough, practical charging plan that fits your life

[StellaTW]

Public charging is a useful fallback, not a guaranteed daily option; youll want a flexible plan and backups for days when chargers are busy or down