The surge in holiday travel has led to significant congestion at highway charging stations. Social media reports highlight long queues at service areas, where drivers are forced to wait for hours to charge their electric vehicles. Some locations have implemented a numbered ticketing system to manage the influx of motorists.
At the Lingjiang service area, one driver reported waiting over five hours after receiving ticket number 99. In another incident on the G65 Baotou-Maoming Expressway, a vehicle ran out of power with only 1 percent remaining and had to be pushed to a charging point by staff and other drivers while dozens of cars waited in line.
The shortage of charging infrastructure is a primary cause of the bottleneck. Many older service areas are equipped with only a dozen charging piles, which cannot handle the holiday traffic spikes. Operators have been forced to deploy mobile charging vehicles to assist, as high-speed driving and air conditioning usage further increase energy consumption.
Authorities expect another wave of charging demand during the return trip on October 5 and 6. Peak congestion is anticipated on October 5 from 11:00 to 21:00 and on October 6 from 10:00 to 22:00. Drivers are advised to check real-time charging station status and consider exiting the highway to charge in nearby towns to avoid delays.
