California EV driver rages after 1 hour of charging cost more than filling up gas tank: ‘Electric car people have been lying’

Is the pump mightier than the plug?

A Rivian owner has sparked an online debate after revealing how much she paid to fast charge her electric whip.

Linda, a California-based food influencer, shared that she was charging her car while she did her Costco shopping.

“It’s gonna take an hour and 10 minutes to get to 100% from 27%,” she told viewers in the clip, which is captioned “How much does it cost to charge a Rivian R1S? Is it worth it?:

The video cuts to Linda recording the car’s charging progress and the vehicle’s estimates that she’s gained roughly 235 miles during the charging.

After loading her Costco sundries, Linda again pans to the progress screen, which shows her Rivian is now at 94% capacity and has a range of 332 miles.

Another figure revealed the $62.89 price of her charging session.

The total cost was slightly higher: “64.59 for an hour and one minute, and I’m at 94%,” according to Linda.

Linda then films herself struggling with the station’s “bulky ass” charger, revealing yet another frustration.

Commenters were aghast at the cost of her fill-up, with many noting that the price tag is similar to that of regular gas.

“I just spent $50.00 for gas to get 512 miles…took less than 5 minutes to fill up,” said one viewer.

“I have an EV. To everyone: it’s not worth it. Range anxiety is real, public charging costs as much as gas, range plummets during winter, I could keep going. I fantasize frequently of a tree falling on my car so I can get a gas car again,” confessed a second.

“How is this better than paying for gas?” questioned a third.

“Home charging is key; curiosity killed the cat here. Expensive af at Costco,” replied Linda herself.

Other EV owners echoed her stance.

“Mine is charged from 11 pm until 3 am and costs $14 for 330 miles at home while I sleep,” testified one commenter

“For people watching, don’t get an EV unless you get a charger at the house. It’s more expensive than gas by far if you don’t,” said another.

As the Post previously reported, embracing Rivian and Lucid vehicles is only possible for a handful of wealthy buyers given their penchant for breaking down.

In 2024, Rivian faced severe financial struggles, with a declining stock price, deliveries dropping, and Elon Musk posting on X that the company would end up bankrupt.

Miraculously, the company turned around, thanks in part to a $5 billion Volkswagen partnership.

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