During a recent road trip to Montreal, I was pleasantly surprised by just how seamless electric vehicle (EV) fast-charging had become. With one minor exception, my experience was flawlessly reliable.

The journey covered over 600 miles in our Audi e-tron, a car with a range of around 220 miles per charge. Planning was made easier by using A Better Route Planner (ABRP), which factored in everything from battery degradation to local temperature and wind speeds. The app even suggested we use Rivian chargers near Lebanon, New Hampshire, a recommendation that proved accurate.

While the only hiccup occurred at a Circuit Électrique station outside Montreal – where after downloading an app and loading 20 Canadian dollars, we managed just fine – it highlighted how prepared EV drivers need to be for potential hiccups. However, these are becoming increasingly rare as more chargers come online.

Back in 2023, the landscape was quite different. The same trip would have been fraught with issues; the first charger broke down after plugging in, and customer service calls became a necessity. Today, thanks to increased competition and infrastructure expansion, fast charging has improved dramatically. While there are still gaps, the overall experience is far more reliable.