6 Free Apps EV Owners Need For Their Next Road Trip

Electric vehicles have taken the roads by storm, and they are here to stay. As the infrastructure in the U.S. hobbles to catch up to demand in some places, one thing that is never too far behind innovation is the tech in your pocket: your smartphone. 

Whether you are new to EVs or an expert, these free apps can help you discover new charging stations, plan your route and even connect with other EV drivers in your area.

Going on a road trip or staying close to home, it pays to plan ahead. 

EV owners typically know by heart when and where they will charge on their daily commute: at home, at the office or maybe at a nearby shopping center. What happens if you break routine, travel or one of your stops is under maintenance? Having a catalog of real-time available stations can make a huge difference for your travel plans and your peace of mind.

This list will highlight 6 free apps available on both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. Five will be comprehensive apps for finding charge stations, and one key app which can take the driving experience to the next level.

PlugShare is a charging station finder. You can search by location, plug type, paid or free and proximity to hotels/lodgings if you are looking to stay overnight. 

Trip Planning

When you sign in on the PlugShare website, you can enter your vehicle information and plan your trip from start to finish to include charging station stops within your range along your route. Your trips can then be saved to the app for navigation. 

Community

Each station has reviews and an option for users to post photos of the station so you can check if it is in good condition. You can also check-in to a station when you charge to rate it and let others know what you think. 

If you have a Tesla, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Mini, Ford or Mustang Mach-E, Eevee can give you valuable insights about your vehicle.

Eevee is an app that will track your electricity consumption, generate reports on the cost and environmental impact and use an AI to estimate future battery performance. 

Charge Cost Tracking

Eevee connects to your car in order to track where and when you charge. With the pricing information it pulls from the charging location, it records costs in real-time and tracks them over time so you can see a monthly breakdown of your charging costs.

Real-Time Statistics

The app keeps track of your current parking location, range, total mileage and temperature inside and outside of your vehicle. Never again will you be wandering around the parking lot looking for your car or reel back once you realize the steering wheel is scorching hot from sitting in the sun.

Eco-Impact

Eevee makes your impact shareable by tracking how much CO2 you have prevented from entering the atmosphere by driving electric.

Future Mileage AI Prediction

The app’s AI models your driving over time and uses that to predict future range changes and battery status months down the road. It uses your charging habits and driving patterns to determine how many miles you will drive in the year and estimates the available range left if you have to leave your car somewhere for an extended period of time.

ChargeHub is a charging station map with an option to engage with the app’s community and a trip planner for finding charging stations along your route. On the map, you can search by plug type, charger level, free or paid, specific networks and 24-hour options. The app displays whether or not a station is currently available or in use, and you can see reviews and details about each station.

Community

ChargeHub includes a community tab with updates and photos of charging stations all over the country, so anyone traveling can see when a station is out of order or has been repaired. Each station also has a check-in system so people can confirm the station is in working order.

Trip Planner

Directly from the app, you can enter a starting point and a destination, add charging stops along the route and begin navigation right from ChargeHub. You can save your favorite routes for future use.

ChargePoint is a national charging station network with locations all over the country. The ChargePoint app maps all Chargepoint units in your area. Results can be filtered by price, charging level and plug type. The listing for each charging station also displays whether it is available or in use.

Charge From App

To start charging with a ChargePoint station, you need to have either a ChargePoint card or the mobile app. With the app, you can open the listing for the station and begin charging immediately.

Home Charging

The app also connects to ChargePoint’s at-home units. The app can stop and start a charge and even be connected to devices like Amazon Alexa.

Electrify America is the largest public fast-charging network. The DC FastCharge Corridor Completeness Map shows where along Tennessee’s highways you can stop for a quick charge. Two networks are filling it in: Electrify America and EVgo. 

The Electrify America app allows you to control your charging session from your phone and lets you connect with home stations as well.

Station Information

The app lets you sort by plug type, minimum power level and availability. Once you have found an available plug, you can see the hours of operation and pricing information or call support if the charger isn’t working. You can start charging right from the app.

Charge Reminders

If a fast charge location is in use, you can rest easy knowing that the app will inform you once the station is available. Never overpay by telling the app to remind you once a certain percentage is reached or cost is exceeded.

EVgo is also working to electrify Tennessee’s highways. The EVgo app makes using their network of fast chargers easy to use and easier to find.

Station Finder

With the EVgo’s simple app, you can search for charging stations by plug type, speed and availability. The app will tell you how much each station costs, if it’s available, when it’s open and even the peak usage times for when you are planning a long charging session. Once you find a station that works for you, you can start charging right in the app which will keep track of how long you have been charging for you.