A Kia EV6 GT-Line recharges at a ChargePoint station, preparing for the next stretch of America's Great Electric Highway.
Every electric vehicle owner hears the same question eventually:
"What do you do while it's charging?"
Usually it's asked with a smirk, as if EV drivers spend hours staring at a battery percentage crawl upward.
The truth is much less dramatic. Most of our charging stops last about 20 minutes, which is barely enough time to use the restroom, stretch your legs, grab a snack, and decide whether that convenience-store donut is really worth the calories.
But after thousands of miles of EV road trips across the United States and Canada, I've discovered those short charging stops can become some of the most memorable moments of the journey.
Sometimes we plan the next leg of the trip. Sometimes we watch a sunset. And once, we watched a convenience store get robbed.
Welcome to the unexpected world of EV charging entertainment.
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How We Spend Time While Charging an Electric Vehicle
Let's get one thing out of the way first. Charging isn't the necessary evil many people imagine it to be.
Over the years, we've adopted a simple strategy: charge only long enough to comfortably reach the next charging stop with about a 50-mile buffer. Some stops require charging to 75%, while others need us to hang around long enough to reach 90%. Either way, we rarely have enough time to get bored.
Most charging stops are filled with practical tasks. We've read books and magazines, cleaned the windshield, wiped down the car, answered emails, replied to social media messages, and occasionally taken a quick nap.
A charging stop is also the perfect time to refill the cooler, restock the snack bag, and stretch your legs after a few hours behind the wheel. More than once, we've wandered through a Walmart just to work the kinks out of our backs while picking up supplies for the next day's drive.
I've also spent plenty of charging sessions planning future adventures. Sometimes I'm mapping our next charging stop. Other times I'm researching a completely different road trip that may not happen for months.
And of course, every charging stop includes a visit to the restroom. Trust me, if you're not close to Social Security age yet, your day is coming.
Most charging sessions are routine. We stretch our legs, grab a snack, and get back on the road. But every now and then, something happens near the charger that transforms a simple charging stop into a story worth telling.
Here are ten of the most memorable things we've experienced while waiting for the battery to fill.
Amp’d Advice: Your EV is already recharging, so why not recharge its appearance too?
Spend a few minutes cleaning the windshield, tossing out trash, and removing the bug population that sacrificed itself for your road trip.
By the time the battery is ready for more miles, your EV will be looking road-trip ready as well.
The Most Unexpected Things We've Seen While Charging an Electric Vehicle
1. Watched a Convenience Store Get Robbed - Traverse City, Michigan
This was not exactly the entertainment I had planned for the afternoon.
While charging, I had a front-row seat as a gentleman exited the convenience store carrying a small bag of loot. He didn't retire wealthy from his life of crime. The police caught up with him less than a block away.
It was the shortest criminal career I've ever witnessed.
2. Walked Two Miles Around a Ford Dealership - Fort Frances, Ontario
Cheryl and I normally walk a couple of miles each evening, so why stop just because we're charging?
While plugged into a ChargePoint station at a Ford dealership across the border from International Falls, Minnesota, we took several leisurely laps around the lot, examining pickup trucks and new vehicle designs.
Exercise, fresh air, and free automotive research. That's a productive charging stop.
3. Judged a Beetle Cage Match - Pacific, Missouri
Sometimes entertainment opportunities are limited.
After returning from the restroom, I noticed two beetles engaged in what appeared to be a fierce battle for control of my windshield. I don't know what was at stake, but both competitors seemed highly motivated.
Their championship bout ended abruptly when I pulled onto the highway.
Neither contestant advanced.
4. Enjoyed Front-Row Seats to a Walmart Parking Lot Fist Fight - Paducah, Kentucky
The Electrify America station offered an excellent view across the Walmart parking lot.
Excellent enough, in fact, to watch two gentlemen attempt to resolve a disagreement through the ancient art of yelling and swinging fists.
Outside of the convenience store robbery, this was probably the most exciting two minutes I've spent plugged into an EV charger.
5. Turned a Charging Stop into a Streaming Night - Mackinaw City, Michigan
Not every memorable charging stop involves chaos.
On one longer charging session, Cheryl and I connected our iPad to a cell phone hotspot, propped it against the windshield, and watched an episode of Game of Thrones.
Sometimes entertainment doesn't come to the charging station. Sometimes you bring it with you.
6. Accidentally Became a Casino Person of Interest - Florence, Oregon
A local casino provided charging stations, though not particularly fast ones.
With time to spare, we wandered through the casino to stretch our legs. The gamblers weren't especially entertaining, but the security guard who followed us around and openly took pictures certainly was.
I'm fairly confident we're now listed somewhere as "potentially suspicious but probably harmless."
7. Experienced a Mini Dust Storm - Page, Arizona
It wasn't exactly a Sahara-level sandstorm, but it was enough to get my attention.
After I had plugged in and closed the door, the wind suddenly kicked up and blasted the area with dirt and dust. For about a minute, everything turned brown.
Then just as quickly as it arrived, the storm disappeared and the Arizona landscape returned.
At least I wasn't hitchhiking and caught in the brown cloud.
8. Hung Out with Aliens - Roswell, New Mexico
Few communities commit to a theme quite like Roswell commits to aliens.
The extraterrestrials were everywhere. They pointed toward attractions, advertised restaurants, posed for photos, and generally made themselves useful around town.
Our charging station sat at a convenience store, but the alien population was considerably more enjoyable than watching raccoons investigate dumpsters in the alley.
9. Timed a Charging Session with a Sunset - Astoria, Oregon
Not every charging memory is strange.
Some are simply beautiful.
While charging near a Safeway grocery store, we watched the setting sun illuminate the horizon and silhouette the nearby trees. It was a quiet ending to a fantastic day of exploring the Astoria area.
Sometimes nature provides the best reminder to appreciate where you are.
10. Enjoyed a Cold NA Along America's Loneliest Highway - Central, Nevada
If you've never driven U.S. Route 50, better known as America's Loneliest Highway, add it to your list.
While charging at Cold Springs Ranch, I grabbed a Coors Edge and settled in at the bar while the EV filled up outside. The combination of wide-open Nevada scenery, good hospitality, and a cool drink turned what could have been a routine charging stop into one of the highlights of the day.
Not bad for a place with more open road than people.na.
Every EV trip starts with PlugShare to research destinations and charging options
Our mantra is simple: we design our route - because adventure shouldn’t be outsourced to a GPS.
Once we pick a destination, I dive into PlugShare for charger intel while Cheryl brings the magic by charting each stop on our paper atlas, giving us a colorful, big‑picture snapshot of the journey.
That blend of EV tech and old‑school wanderlust keeps our planning smooth, colorful, and unmistakably SightSee EV. Check out the full article to see how this combo keeps our road trips smooth and fun!
Bird’s-Eye Review: Why Charging an Electric Vehicle Is Part of the Adventure
A glowing "Reserved Parking for Electric Vehicles" sign stands watch over a charging station at night, illuminated by the green-tinted lights of the surrounding parking lot.
After thousands of miles of electric vehicle road trips, I've learned that charging stops are rarely wasted time.
Most sessions are just long enough to stretch our legs, grab a snack, plan the next leg of the trip, or simply enjoy a quiet moment away from the highway.
Every now and then, though, a routine charging stop turns into something memorable, whether that's watching a sunset, chatting with aliens in Roswell, surviving an Arizona dust storm, or witnessing unexpected parking lot drama.
Those moments become part of the travel experience rather than an interruption to it.
Charging an electric vehicle isn't just about adding energy to the battery.
It's also a chance to slow down long enough to notice the things you'd otherwise drive past.
If you embrace the pause, you may discover that some of the most interesting moments of an EV road trip happen while the car is standing still.
Come explore the necessary pauses along America's Great Electric Highway. You never know what you'll see while the battery is charging.
John's mission is to help readers see that electric vehicles are simply cars powered by a different energy source, capable of taking us anywhere we want to go.
His favorite way to share that message? Road-tripping along the Great American Electric Highway, where every mile offers an opportunity to visit family, reconnect with friends, and discover America's scenic beauty.
EV Basics
EV Charging
Essential Items
EV Road Trip Planning
After buying an electric car, the most important steps are learning how to charge at home, becoming familiar with public charging stations, understanding how weather affects range, improving driving efficiency, and gradually taking longer trips. These skills help new EV owners build confidence and enjoy their vehicle's full capabilities.