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Essential Apps for Electric Vehicle Drivers

4 min to readElectric vehicles
Your smartphone can be a useful source of information when you’re getting used to life with an electric vehicle (EV). Here are some helpful apps to get you moving.
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A Better Routeplanner (ABRP)

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Launched in 2016, ABRP is one of the most sophisticated but user-friendly ways to plan an electric road trip. By selecting your car and preferred charging networks, it’ll plot the fastest route including charge stops and traffic and includes adjustable settings reflecting your real-world efficiency and range. The latest version adds user ratings for chargers and the ability to draw live data from vehicles’ diagnostic ports using a USB dongle. Download: Android and Apple (free offers in-app purchases) More information: abetterrouteplanner.com

Bonnet

bonnet logo With electricity costs on the rise, Bonnet offers discounted access to more than 200,000 public chargepoints on multiple networks across Europe. There are three membership options, including pay-as-you-go access for occasional users and a top-level £8-per-month subscription saving high-mileage users 15% per charging session. Drivers can filter locations by price, connector type and charging speed, and download invoices from within the app. Download: Android and Apple (free) More information: joinbonnet.com/ev-charging-app

ChargeFinder

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One of the perks of driving an electric vehicle is you don’t have to wait with it while it’s charging. ChargeFinder helps drivers locate chargepoints based on the connector, speed, network provider and cost, then suggests local points of interest, such as food, hotels and shopping facilities. It provides live availability data and route-planning and suggests alternative charging stations nearby if your first choice is busy. Download: Android and Apple (free) More information: chargefinder.com/en

Co Charger

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Co Charger is a platform enabling electric vehicle drivers to share their home chargepoint with others, filling gaps in the public networks and creating a source of income for hosts. The entire process is handled by the app, which can list the chargepoint and set a per-hour fee for plugging in, then help others to locate, reserve and pay to use it. Co Charger will also e-mail users when new hosts sign up near where they live. Download: Android and Apple (free) More information: co-charger.com

EVHotels

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Destination charging is second only to plugging in at home for convenience. EVHotels enables drivers to find accommodation with chargepoints either on-site or within a set walking distance. Results can be filtered by connector type and hotel chain, and there are over 45,000 EV-friendly destinations and 180,000 roadside chargers worldwide listed within the app. The latest version also has a search function for holiday homes and cottages. Download: Apple (£2.49) More information: evhotels.org

GECO Air

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Small changes to your travel patterns can quickly add up. GECO Air automatically logs all of your journeys - including walking and cycling - then calculates and logs the combined environmental impact in a diary. It will then highlight areas with poor air quality, suggest improvements to driver behaviour and journeys where a different mode might have been more suitable. Results are tailored to your car, including battery-electric models. Download: Android and Apple (free) More information: gecoair.fr/en

National Grid ESO - Grid Carbon Intensity

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The UK's electrical grid is en route to net zero CO2 emissions by 2035. In the meantime, the company's app will help you plug in when the energy is greenest. It shows how the electricity is being generated in real time, notifying about new record low carbon intensity and predicting future carbon intensity and sources by region in two-hour timeslots. It's an essential component for making the most of your electric vehicle. Download: Android and Apple (free) More information: carbonintensity.org.uk

Octopus Electroverse

Octopus Electroverse logo Electroverse provides seamless access to 500,000 chargepoints across Europe and can filter results down to locations powered by green energy. It’s Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatible for navigation functions, and includes detailed information and images for easier planning. Octopus customers get the added convenience of paying for charging as part of their home energy bill and get discounts of up to 8%, depending on their tariff.
Download: Android and Apple (free) More information: electroverse.octopus.energy

Tesla App

tesla logo You don’t need to drive a Tesla to enjoy the perks of the carmaker’s robust, ultra-fast Supercharger network. Selected sites are now compatible with other manufacturers’ vehicles, though you’ll need to download an app to use them. It’s a single-network app, but includes detailed information about peak usage periods and the cheapest times to plug in, and a monthly subscription option which offers discounted charging sessions. Download: Android and Apple (free) More information: tesla.com/en_gb/support/tesla-app

Zap-Map

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All the functionality of Zap-Map’s widely praised live chargepoint map, but in a pocket-friendly app. It offers a multitude of search filters, easy in-app payment and invoicing (at selected networks) and a smart route planner based on the shortest possible stops. Drivers can also opt to share their home chargepoint with others and, with premium membership, use the route planner in Android Auto or Apple CarPlay. Download: Android and Apple (free, some features require a subscription) More information: zap-map.com/app

Please note, this is a collection of Apple Store and Google Play Store best apps for Electric Vehicle drivers at the time of writing.

Published at 10 August 2023
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10 August 2023
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