Top 5 Apps for Locating Charging Stations

The adoption of electric vehicles has been growing steadily over the past few years. As more drivers switch to EVs, accessible and reliable charging infrastructure becomes increasingly important. There are numerous public fast and destination chargers, but finding them can still be challenging. Thankfully, several helpful mobile apps have been developed to assist EV owners in locating both public and private charging stations. This makes it easier to keep EVs powered up, whether in town or on longer road trips.

In this article, we will examine the top mobile applications that aid in finding electric vehicle charging stations. It will cover both aggregator apps that consolidate data from multiple networks and network-specific apps. We have focused on the apps that integrate information from some of the largest charging networks in North America. By combining data sources, they act as excellent one-stop resources for electric vehicle owners.

Plugging into Public & Private Charging Networks

Public fast and destination charging plays a major role in enabling electric car travel. Let’s start by examining a few popular apps that provide access to major public EV charging station networks.

1. PlugShare

PlugShare is one of the most powerful aggregator apps. PlugShare collects data from nearly all public charging networks, comprising over 540,000 locations in a single interface. As the most comprehensive aggregator, several features make it extremely useful:

Smart Filters – Drivers can customize filters based on vehicle compatibility, preferred networks, and charger types. This allows for finding the most suitable station efficiently.

Real-Time Availability – Users can check the station status before arriving via the app. It indicates whether stations are open to seamlessly plan charging without wasted trips.

Pay Within the App – At participating spots, PlugShare allows payment directly through the interface for convenience and flexibility.

Trip Planning Assistance – The built-in trip planner maps out charging stops along routes, making long-distance journeys easy to navigate.

Crowdsourced Updates – An engaged community adds new stations and shares reviews/photos, ensuring PlugShare constantly refines its coverage across regions.

Private Locations Included – In addition to public infrastructure, users can discover and contribute to private charging options.

Insights from Reviews and Photos – Other drivers provide additional details and insights about stations through uploaded reviews and images.

Notifications and Messaging – Users receive alerts about new nearby stations and can directly message other PlugShare members.

2. ChargePoint

ChargePoint is the world’s leading EV charging network, with over 226,000 activated ports and 400,000 accessible by roaming globally. EV drivers can quickly locate participating stations nearby or en route through its app. The ChargePoint app provides electric vehicle (EV) drivers with several useful features to simplify the charging experience:

Real-time Charging Station Status: The app shows the real-time availability of ChargePoint stations so drivers can see if a station is currently in use before navigating to it.

Start and Pay for Sessions Through The App: EV drivers can start and pay for a charging session directly through the app without having to swipe a card at the station.

Smart Filters: The app has filters to only show stations compatible with your car’s connector type (CCS or Chademo) or charging speed. Users can also view ChargePoint members-only stations.

Roaming Access: ChargePoint account holders can charge at partner networks like EVgo using the ChargePoint app.

Notifications: The app sends notifications on charge status, time remaining, and when charging is complete.

Charging History and Trends: Users can view past charging sessions, miles added, costs, and other analytics.

Compatibility with Wearables and In-Car Displays: The ChargePoint app works with smartwatches, Android Auto, and Apple CarPlay.

Home Charging Features: For home ChargePoint stations, the app enables remote monitoring, scheduled charging, alerts, and more.

In summary, the ChargePoint app aims to simplify the EV charging experience for drivers with features that focus on real-time information, convenience, access, notifications, and charging history/analytics. The app works throughout ChargePoint’s public charging network as well as home charging stations.

3. Electrify America

The Electrify America app empowers drivers to efficiently navigate the expanding national fast-charging network in the USA. It is a great app for the users who aim for a long-distance trip. The app’s key features include:

Real-time Station Availability: The app shows which charging stations are currently in use or available along your route. It notifies you when the chargers open up. Users can view station hours and charging costs to optimize stops.

Monitor Your Charge: Users can remotely start and stop sessions from the app to charge while grabbing food or shopping nearby. Monitor charging progress no matter where you are. Save favorite stations for one-touch access on future trips.

Viewing Current Pricing and Hours of Operation: Users can see charger details, including pricing and hours of operation, to plan their charging sessions effectively.

Navigating Directly from the App Using Built-In Maps: The app integrates with navigation systems to guide drivers to the selected charging station with ease.

Save Your Favorite Charging Stations: Users can save preferred charging stations to their profile for convenient access during route planning and on future trips.

Seamless In-Car Experience: The Electrify America app integrates with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for an effortless charging session experience directly from the vehicle’s display.

Overall, The Electrify America app strives to enhance long-distance electric vehicle travel by offering valuable tools that streamline the process and empower drivers each step of the journey.

4. EVgo

The EVgo app allows electric vehicle drivers to conveniently access and pay for charging from their smartphones. Users can quickly find EVgo stations near them, start and stop charging sessions with just a few taps, and handle payment completely within the app. Some of the key features of this app include:

Locating Nearby Charging Stations: The app makes it easy for EV drivers to find charging stations nearby. Users can view nearby EVgo fast chargers and see their availability status directly on the map. They can search stations along planned routes or within a specified area.

Ease in Starting Sessions: Users can simply open the app and tap the station they want to use for charging. The app also allows them to initiate a charging session and confirm directly from their mobile device.

Monitoring Your Charge: Once connected, the app allows drivers to monitor their charging session in real-time. It displays useful information like current charge level, time elapsed, estimated time remaining, and charging costs. This lets drivers conveniently keep track of their sessions from the app.

Vehicle Stats and Payment History: Users can store payment methods to start sessions without re-entering payment details each time. They can also view the charging history and costs for all past sessions.

Earn EVgo Rewards: EVgo Rewards program lets you earn points on charging that can be redeemed for free charging credits.

Reserve your EV Charger: Users can locate available chargers, view upcoming reservations, and reserve a charger at any time. EVgo Reservations™ is available in select locations across the US.

EVgo Advantage™: Users can shop while they charge access in-app coupons and receive store discounts from participating businesses near their favorite EV charging stations.

In summary, the EVgo app provides EV drivers with an easy and convenient way to locate stations, start/stop charging, monitor sessions, reserve chargers, access restricted locations, earn rewards, view usage history, and get support.

5. ChargeHub

ChargeHub is the most comprehensive charging app available. It collects availability and status updates from all major network providers in one centralized location. With ChargeHub, users can easily locate nearby stations, check real-time availability, and plan road trips that include optimal charging stops. All without having to switch between multiple apps. The key features of this app are:

Comprehensive Database of Charging Stations: ChargeHub aggregates over 30,000 public charging stations from networks across North America into an interactive map interface. This one-stop database covers stations from coast to coast.

Easy Search and Filter Tools: Users can search for stations by location, address, or along a planned trip route. Stations can also be filtered in multiple ways, such as by connector type, network membership, charging speed, and real-time availability.

Trip Planning with Integrated Routing: For long-distance travel, integrated routing features plan optimal routes between destinations and recommended charging stops. Users can view turn-by-turn directions within the app.

Real-Time Availability and Status Updates: The database is kept up-to-date in real-time so drivers can always access the latest station and port availability information. Notifications can alert users when stations become available.

Personalized User Experience: Additional features like personal profiles and the ability to save favorite locations or interact with the EV community enhance usability.

Charging Access Solutions: Some partners offer port reservations through the app or AutoCharge/roaming agreements to broaden public charging access across networks for subscribers.

One-Stop EV Charging Resource: ChargeHub provides the tools to easily find and use public charging infrastructure with its comprehensive database, routing assistance, and real-time updates.

Choosing the Right Apps

When there are several high-quality apps available, deciding which to use comes down to individual needs and vehicle attributes. Drivers tend to combine options that leverage both public charging networks and private chargers. Some of the effective strategies include:

Prioritize manufacturers’ apps or those integrating frequently used networks.
Use PlugShare as the primary route finder due to its extensive database.
Consider network apps facilitating payment convenience for sessions.
Explore community charging services like EVmatch to extend range via privately-owned infrastructure.
Install several aggregator and network apps for maximum coverage flexibility.

With strategic combinations of the above apps, electric car drivers can optimize their charging experience no matter where life’s travels may take them.

Conclusion

These innovative mobile applications have transformed both finding public infrastructure and accessing private chargers regardless of location. This article assessed some of the best mobile applications for locating EV charging stations. These apps serve as an indispensable tool, empowering drivers by providing real-time information on the nearest charging stations. The electric vehicle infrastructure is expanding and these apps are playing a vital role in enhancing accessibility. Thus, these apps significantly contribute to a more eco-friendly future.

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