Buying an electric vehicle (EV) is a different experience. For starters, you never have to worry about high gas prices or standing in line to pump gas. But if you own an electric car, SUV or pickup? You may be wondering where to charge your electric vehicle when you’re not at home. You may find helpful EV charging apps here.
Surprisingly, many electric vehicles can travel long distances. And as EV battery technology improves, you can expect to travel even longer on a single charge. Still, before you set off on your next trip, you want to know where to charge your electric vehicle. Luckily, Kelley Blue Book has listed five popular EV charging apps and ones you might want to keep installed on your Android or Apple smartphone.
1. PlugShare
PlugShare is an app that helps you find electric vehicle charging stations near and outside the city. This app offers over 600,000 EV charging stations across multiple networks including Tesla Superchargers. You can also filter by connector type, which is extremely helpful. In addition, this electric vehicle charging app provides users with real-time availability.
Other useful features? With PlugShare you can plan your road trip by bookmarking specific places on your route. The EV charging app also provides live updates and charging tips from other app users.
2. Charging point
ChargePoint is another highly rated EV charging app. It has more than 163,000 enabled ports, reports Kelley Blue Book, and allows app users to charge their EV at stations on other major networks, including FLO and EVg.
However, these are not the only benefits of using the ChargePoint app. In fact, according to Kelley Blue Book, this app also offers advice from other users on charging stations to stop at along the way. It also gives you the ability to schedule charging and track usage.
3. Electrify America
Electrify America focuses on Level 3 DC fast chargers. While not rated as highly as the above apps, it is a mobile app that continues to improve. Electrify America is also a growing network, and the company plans to build luxury charging stations in the near future, Kelley tells Blue Book.
However, there is one thing to keep in mind when using this app. If you’re a Tesla owner, you’ll need an adapter to charge at an Electrify America charging station.
4. EVgo
If you are interested in an EV charging app that allows you to reserve a charger in advance, then EVgo might be the perfect EV charging app for you. With EVgo you can not only reserve a charger in advance, you can also use the app to filter your criteria by plug and charger type. You can also filter for specific locations, which is useful when traveling.
5. Volta
Volta has the largest network of free electric vehicle charging stations in the United States, according to the Kelley Blue Book. Download the EV Charger app and you can use it to find chargers in different types of businesses, from malls to grocery stores.
“In most cases, free charging is allowed for up to two hours, but you can also pay for additional time. The app also provides in-app charger instructions and allows you to report issues,” Kelley added to Blue Book.
Which app should I download to find electric vehicle charging stations?
It all depends on your general preferences. You can’t go wrong with any of the apps listed above, but PlugShare covers all types of charging stations and not just one specific brand. It’s not a bad idea to download a few and try them out for yourself. This way you can better understand the functionality of each app and determine which is the best EV charging app for you.
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