What is the best charging station mapping app?

[CapnOMatic]

Has anyone used any of the charging station mapping apps that are out there? There seems to be a growing number of apps that are all trying to do the same thing like Chargehub, PlugShare, etc... I'm finally going on a trip where I may need to step outside of the Tesla charging/destination network and I need to do some planning.

I'm looking for input from someone's experience on what is the best app that has the most comprehensive list of all the chargers available and could use some help. Anyone have any experience with this?

 

[rdlink]

I believe you should probably take the "Swiss cheese" approach and have more than one available on your phone. Plugshare is a great crowd sharing app. But since it's crowd share the data is going to be somewhat inconsistent. Chargepoint is an app that tracks the chargers on their own network, so is more likely to be completely accurate. Having said that Chargepoint can be expensive. But expensive is relative if you are in a place where that's your only choice.

Having more than one app on your phone gives you some "insurance."

 

[NewTMSMan]

I like A Better Route Planner for routing as you can include other fast charging options such as ChaDeMo in route planning.

I also use ChargePoint and EVGo as backups.

Have never had to use any of them yet as all my trips have been accommodated by the SC network so far though.

 

[rdlink]

I like A Better Route Planner for routing as you can include other fast charging options such as ChaDeMo in route planning.

I also use ChargePoint and EVGo as backups.

Have never had to use any of them yet as all my trips have been accommodated by the SC network so far though.

I may be wrong about this, but the Model 3 isn't yet capable of using ChaDeMo, is it? I really like ABRP, but for the time being it seems to me, at least for Model 3 owners to be only an alternative to using Tesla's app to plan Supercharger routes.

 

[CapnOMatic]

I may be wrong about this, but the Model 3 isn't yet capable of using ChaDeMo, is it? I really like ABRP, but for the time being it seems to me, at least for Model 3 owners to be only an alternative to using Tesla's app to plan Supercharger routes.

There is an adapter for sale via the Tesla store for the Model S and X, it says that the model 3 doesn't support the adapter. Here is the link: Model S/X CHAdeMO Adapter

BTW, there used to be an adapter on the model 3 page as well, but it looks like that has been removed.

 

[Rocky_H]

The most all-inclusive and up-to-date for every kind of charging resource seems to be Plugshare for the U.S. It includes all of the brand name charging networks, private owners, and even other things like a lot of campgrounds that aren't really "EV charging stations". Other countries aren't quite as complete on Plugshare, and have some other ones that are used more in their countries.

 

[wws]

The most all-inclusive and up-to-date for every kind of charging resource seems to be Plugshare for the U.S. It includes all of the brand name charging networks, private owners, and even other things like a lot of campgrounds that aren't really "EV charging stations". Other countries aren't quite as complete on Plugshare, and have some other ones that are used more in their countries.

+1. Plugshare is an essential web site and app when looking for non-Supercharger charging spots. (It lists Supercharger spots as well, but those are already on your nav screen.) It can also do some route planning.

After that, networks like chargepoint, ev-go, and blink have their own apps tuned to their own networks of chargers. Chargepoint in particular is important where I live. Of course the tesla web site has a map with both Supercharger and Destination charger sites.

For route planning, evtripplanner.com and abetterrouteplanner.com both have their adherents.

If you are out in the boonies and RV camp grounds are an option, there are sites like allstays.com. Filter on "50 amp" for those with NEMA 14-50 receptacles. The "30 amp" sites have TT-30 (120v 30 amp) receptacles. The "20 amp" have 120v 20 amp receptacles. Some of these sites may be on plugshare, but many are not.

 

[CapnOMatic]

Yes I just saw the allstays.com website. That was really useful, especially if you want to go camping and get a tent site. You can have the 50 amp hookup for the Tesla and setup a tent. Not sure the Model 3 is going to work as a "tent" but worst case with bugs, you can sleep in the back I suppose. In my research I also found that there are a few Truck stops that also have electric poles, however, I would be nervous stopping there for any length of time as the truck drivers would get PO'd if you are taking one of their spots and they want to go to sleep.

This makes me want to start contacting all the places I want to go and give them a sales pitch as to why they should install a destination charger. It looks like there are a lot of them on the map, but when you zoom in they are still scarce at this point in time.

 

[tivoboy]

Unfortunately at this point a combination of the Chargepoint app and Plugshare is ones best bet. I only have the chargepoint account setup at this point though. Fortunately, where I go there are several FREE city charging stations that I use. ;-)

 

[Rocky_H]

I don't get why so many people say Chargepoint. Are they that prevalent in some big cities? I have looked around places I might go, and I don't see more Chargepoint locations than Greenlots or EVGo, or Semacharge or others. There are so many different networks that it really just depends on where you happen to be going and what stations also happen to be next to the places you will be.

 

[wws]

I don't get why so many people say Chargepoint. Are they that prevalent in some big cities? I have looked around places I might go, and I don't see more Chargepoint locations than Greenlots or EVGo, or Semacharge or others. There are so many different networks that it really just depends on where you happen to be going and what stations also happen to be next to the places you will be.

Here in Silicon Valley, there are a large number of Chargepoint-managed sites - even private ones at workplaces. (My wifes former employer included. She used her Chargepoint card every day charging our Volt.) Chargepoints home office is here though. So perhaps they have a home team advantage.

 

[starter146]

Google Maps (beta) now allows for EV charging stations searches.

 

[CapnOMatic]

Google Maps (beta) now allows for EV charging stations searches.

I looked at that and saw the announcement from google, however, its still lacking some features and they don't have all the charging stations other apps have. For example, there is a location that I know has EV charging but the google maps does not allow you to add a charging station that the business has. I'm assuming that the businesses may have to add in the information on their side but i'm not sure.

 

[joelliot]

I don't get why so many people say Chargepoint. Are they that prevalent in some big cities? I have looked around places I might go, and I don't see more Chargepoint locations than Greenlots or EVGo, or Semacharge or others. There are so many different networks that it really just depends on where you happen to be going and what stations also happen to be next to the places you will be.

In the Rhode Island/Boston area we have a lot of ChargePoint, in Vermont it seems like a lot of SemaConnect, in other areas, like yours apparently, EVGo. Where I'm at, it's ChargePoint and some pockets of SemaConnect with only a handful of CHAdeMO EVgo that I cannot use with my model 3. You need that app/network that works in your driving area with your vehicle.

...side not anyone else find it the odd use of upper/lower case in all these vendors/standards annoying?

 

[cheungus87]

Has anyone used any of the charging station mapping apps that are out there? There seems to be a growing number of apps that are all trying to do the same thing like Chargehub, PlugShare, etc... I'm finally going on a trip where I may need to step outside of the Tesla charging/destination network and I need to do some planning.

I'm looking for input from someone's experience on what is the best app that has the most comprehensive list of all the chargers available and could use some help. Anyone have any experience with this?

It depends on what chargers are common in the area where you live. I had to search which brands are concentrated where and found differences between the East Coast, Canada, West Coast etc. For the north east, I use Plugshare since it seems to show the most free ones and I also have an unregistered Chargepoint app since those free ones you need it's app to start the charge.