LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Some Las Vegas EV drivers say Waymo robotaxis are taking up limited public charging spots, leaving them waiting more than an hour for a turn.
After Channel 13 received an email alerting our team about the issue, we looked into it.
Jahmeek Williams, who works as a rideshare driver, said it's happened to at an Electrify America charging station off Flamingo and Maryland Parkway.
WATCH | Local EV drivers say Waymo robotaxis 'hogging' public charging stations
"I think one time I waited a good hour and thirty minutes," he said.
Williams said he does not understand why the company doesn't have its own dedicated charging setup.
"Waymos should have their own thing," Williams said.
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Rideshare driver Sharon McWilliams said she has also been stuck waiting in line.
"What we really don't understand is why aren't they like cab companies and limo companies have their own chargers?"
McWilliams said the wait can stretch well beyond what most drivers expect.
"We're waiting maybe an hour and a half because they charge so slow."
She said the solution is straightforward.
"They need to build their own infrastructure honestly."
A Waymo spokesperson said the company does have a depot with charging but also uses publicly available infrastructure and tries to limit and stagger its usage.
According to Waymo, as its operations in a city mature, it establishes its own charging infrastructure and prioritizes dedicated charging.
The spokesperson also noted that if a vehicle is being driven or supervised by a human specialist, that specialist may choose to charge on the road while taking a break.
