Using an electric car is an environmentally responsible option. Furthermore, you can save a lot of money by using an electric car with gas prices becoming more expensive with each day that passes. Fossil fuel is not going to last forever and it’s a great idea to switch to renewable energy not only to save money, but also to save our environment. One of the challenges of using an electric car is locating EV charging stations during a journey. Especially when you’re driving through a territory that you’re not familiar with. Long trips can be stressful for electric car users with the fear of running out of power before you reach a charging station.

Plan Ahead

When you’re embarking on a long trip, it’s a good idea to find charging stations and create an itinerary in advance. That way, you can ensure that you will be able to have a smooth and stress-free drive to your destination.

Finding Charging Stations in the Middle of a Journey

Finding car charging stations is becoming increasingly easier. There are many reliable tools that you can use to find nearby EV charging stations no matter where you are. Let’s take a look at a few such tools that you can use to locate charging stations to keep your electric car rolling!

PlugShare App

This charging station guide is hailed as the number one EV charger locator app in the world! You can easily plan your trip and view EV charging stations along your route using the PlugShare app. What’s interesting is, it not only lists all the available public charging stations, but also allows users to share their private electric outlets. This means you have the option of charging your car in someone’s garage, if you can’t find a public charging station nearby. The ability to message fellow EV drivers is an innovative feature that enables you to get help, recommendations and other information. PlugShare app has some attractive features such as filtering charging stations compatible with your car, viewing charging station details, photos, availability, ratings and user reviews. You will also have access to the world’s largest EV driver community, where users discuss and share experiences about anything and everything related to electric cars. You can download the PlugShare app from Google Play store here. You can download the PlugShare app from iTunes store here.

Google Maps

It’s safe to say that Google is a global leader when it comes to promoting the use of clean energy. Google Maps is a great tool to locate car charging stations nearby. If you have a GPS system installed in your car, finding charging stations with Google Maps becomes much easier. There’s no need to worry if you don’t have a GPS mapping system in your car. You can simply use your mobile phone to access Google Maps to find the closest charging station.

Blink App

This is a great app that supports both Apple and Android devices. You can find the closest charging stations from their network easily. Users have the option to use their current location or set a location manually if they are planning a trip ahead. The public charging stations nearby will be marked by pins. You can easily view charging station status, charger information, hours of operation, pricing, host site info and more by simply tapping on a location pin. You can download the Blink App from the iTunes store here.  You can download the Blink App from Google Play store here. 

Charge Point App

This app is another reliable tool to locate nearby EV charging stations. The app has the ability to filter Coulomb-branded charge stations or by other major networks. Charge Point app is the world’s largest charging station network with over 52,000 charging spots. Therefore, you have a chance of locating one of their charging stations no matter where you are. Users are able to check availability of EV charging stations, receive notifications and view charging status through the app. You can download the Charge Point App from the iTunes store here.  You can download the Charge Point App from Google Play store here. 

Zap Map App

Go Ultra Low’s Zap Map application is a great tool to find EV charging stations across the UK and Ireland. It’s available for iOS, Android devices and PC’s. It has a list of 5000 charging stations and 16,000 connectors across the UK region. Features of this app include filtering by charging type, planning routes, viewing charge point details such as location type, access and available payment methods. You can download the Zap Map App from the iTunes store here.  You can download the Zap Map App from Google Play store here.  There’s also a useful community feature that allows users to share their experiences by logging successful charges, updating charging point status, adding last mile info, sharing charging station photos and much more. All these tools work well depending on the user preference and their location. It’s a very good idea to try a few tools simultaneously for better results. This approach will not only increase your chances of finding an EV charging station anywhere you go, but also help you find the charging station locating tools that work for you the best.