Costco has been rolling out new Electrify America fast-charging stations at its stores, promising convenience for electric vehicle owners who shop while their batteries top up. But a recent look at one Rivian charging session raises a blunt question: who actually wants the expense and inconvenience of an EV when this is the reality on the road?

The Rivian pulled in at 27% battery. Getting to 100% would take 1 hour and 10 minutes. Charging just to 94% already cost $62. Scale that up and a full 0–100% session lands around $93. These trucks and SUVs typically deliver 300–420 miles of range on a full charge. At public fast-charger rates like the roughly $0.61 per kWh seen at this Murrieta Costco station, the math gets ugly fast—especially compared with home charging, which runs closer to $20–30 for a full pack at average residential rates.

Contrast that with a gas vehicle. Filling a comparable truck’s tank takes five minutes and often costs less for similar range, depending on fuel prices. No apps, no waiting for the battery curve to slow to a crawl above 80%, no risk of idle fees if you linger, and no hunting for a working stall. With an EV you’re tethered to the charger for over an hour just to regain usable range on a road trip or when home charging isn’t an option.

Public DC fast charging is convenient in theory, particularly at a warehouse club where you can shop. In practice the combination of high per-kWh rates, long dwell times, and the need to plan every longer journey around charger availability turns ownership into a calculation of time and money many drivers never expected. Home charging remains the real economic advantage for EV owners—but not everyone has a garage or driveway with a Level 2 setup. For apartment dwellers, frequent travelers, or anyone relying on the public network, the Rivian example at Costco is a reminder that “fast” charging is still slow and expensive relative to simply pumping gas.

So the question stands: with these prices, wait times, and logistical headaches, who is lining up to switch? The chargers keep appearing, yet the real-world cost of using them keeps many drivers firmly in the gas lane.

Costco has been installing new “Electrify America” fast charging EV chargers

Here’s an inside look at the time it takes to charge a Rivian and the cost

- The Rivian is at 27% when she pulls in
- It will take 1 hour 10 minutes to get to 100%
- It costs $62 to charge to 94%… pic.twitter.com/vieiYzyCve

— Wall Street Apes (@WallStreetApes) August 8, 2026