One of the biggest issues people have with EVs is running out of charge while on a trip. And we can’t blame them. No one enjoys running out of gas (or charge, in this case).
This is why EV charging Station Finder apps have a massive draw. They help you find a charging station nearby so you can take that long trip without worrying about being stranded in the middle of nowhere.
If you have any interest in the automobile industry or even if you keep up with the trends in the sector, it would be hard to miss the fact that EVs are everywhere. From decades-old car makers like Audi, Mercedes, and BMW to the newer ones around the block like Tesla, every car maker is investing heavily in EVs.
Environment-friendly consumers and experts are touting EVs as the mobility solution for the future. And the industry seems to agree with them. EV charging station finder apps provide the solution to the biggest problem with EV vehicles.
If you are a business looking to bank on this trend, you are at the right place. Read on as we answer all your questions regarding EV charging station finder apps.
In simple terms, an EV is any car that is powered by an electric motor. This motor runs on a chargeable battery. As there is no combustion happening in EVs like traditional fuel-run cars, they are much cleaner than them.
This removal of the gasoline tank helped save precious but limited fuel reserves on the planet. It also is a cleaner alternative to cars running on an Internal Combustion engine. In addition to being cleaner, EVs can also be a cheaper alternative to traditional vehicles in the long run.
Due to the enormous benefits, all major car makers have jumped ship to manufacture EVs. Several countries are embracing and even subsidizing their citizens for adopting EVs. Larger countries like India and China will take some time to achieve that, while a smaller country like Norway has become the EV capital of the world. They have an ambitious target to run on EVs entirely by 2025.
In China alone, the number of EV sales in 2021 was triple that of 2020. The revenue market share of EVs in the United States is expected to reach US$61.18bn in 2023. Their market unit sales are expected to reach 2.13 million vehicles by 2027. This is not a small number by any stretch of the imagination.
The number of publicly available charging points is increasing, but it is still nowhere near the number of traditional gas stations. This provides an excellent opportunity for tech businesses to provide solutions to this problem. This is why apps to find EV charging solutions are a huge draw.
Here are some of the top EV charging station finder apps available:
The ChargeHub app is a free app available on both the Play Store and Apple Store. It shows users all the charging centers in North America. You can also search for a particular location by using filters that allow you to find a charging point for your EV quickly.
It has a customizable profile that will enable you to save your bookmarks and allow personalized notifications. You can also know about the type of charging station connector and availability of the charging station through the app. You can easily plan your next trip with ChargeHub, and check how far the next charging station is using Google Maps or Apple Maps.
With over 4 million users, PlugShare is one of the best EV charging station locator apps. It is valuable for Android, iOS, and web apps. The app is different from other apps as it relies on the trusted data of its users. The users of the app verify the photos and details about the app.
The app has various filters, making searching for your EV charging station easy and planning a trip using it. You can keep track of your charging session using the app and see which EV charging stations are currently active.
The app comes with a feature that allows you to make payments using the application after your session is completed.
It is also a top-rated app for finding EV charging stations. You can locate your EV charging station easily with the app and also see it through the several photos submitted by other drivers. Drivers leave tips and review about a particular station which helps drivers access a charging station for the first time.
Additionally, you have the option to join a waitlist through the app and get notified when a place opens up. The best feature of the app is the one that allows users to customize the notifications they receive. You can be notified when a charging station or car charging is available.
Another popular EV charging station finder app is Electromaps. It allows drivers to publish their photos and reviews on the app. This information comes in handy for other drivers planning their trips. The Electromaps app driver community is a thriving community of EV enthusiasts who help each other.
You can activate thousands of chargers directly through the app. Electromaps also has a webshop where you can get quality accessories like chargers and adapters for your EV or get passes and gift cards from the store. Electromaps also helps installation professionals by providing them tips and tricks to improve their EV charging station business.
With access to more than 850 public charging stations, EVgo is one of the top charging station finder apps. The team has over a decade of experience in owning and operating EV charging stations.
This helps them serve the drivers really well. You can view real-time charging availability, monitor your charging session, earn rewards by charging, and reserve an EVgo charger using the app.
The app is not only useful for drivers who can have access to the charging stations but also for business owners who want to make fast charging stations on their property. It lets you easily manage your business and informs drivers about the new charging station.
The app is available on both the play store and the Apple Store. It enables EV drivers to locate and use EV charging stations easily. You can get valuable information about the charging station through the app. This helps you plan your road trip accordingly.
Business owners looking to install charging stations on their properties can also use the app. It provides the best solution to the business owner according to their site. They even manage your site by ensuring the drivers get optimal performance and satisfactory experience to the drivers.
The team with leading hardware providers gives reliable uptime, 24/7 support, and all the analytics you need to charge your EV.
ChargeHub EV is a must-have app for all Tesla owners. Drivers can easily share their views and photos of a particular charging station. This information helps all the other drivers planning a trip along the same route.
ChargeHub’s interactive map allows you to find level 3 charging points that will provide enough juice to your car in only 30 minutes of charging. Tesla’s owners get free access to all the chargers under them.
Most of these level 3 chargers are strategically placed next to malls and restaurants. This allows drivers to grab a quick bite and spend time shopping while their car is charged.
The Zap-Map app has over a million downloads and is valuable on both the play store and Apple Store. You can search for EV charging points, plan your journey and pay for the charging using the Zap-Map app.
The app provides the widest choice of charging options in the UK. You also get access to an inspiring community of EV drivers. Its tools allow you to calculate the estimated cost and charging time for your session.
The app is also useful for EV charging points for business owners. They provide data and analytics to these business owners, which come in handy for them to optimize performance.
Chargefox is the best app to find EV charging stations across Australia. It has the widest coverage in the country. You can download the app for both Android and iOS. It provides access to over 1400 charging points across the country. Other than allowing EV drivers to find a charging station near them, it also supports businesses.
If you are a business that wants to install EV charging points on your poetry in Australia, they can help you with it. They also help you transform your existing charging station into renewables. EV drivers can use the app to find the nearest charging station to them, plan their road trips accordingly and pay for those sessions too.
Electrify America is one of America’s largest open DC fast charging points. The Volkswagen Group of America owns it. They focus on renewable energy sources like solar for these charging points.
They expect to have more than 1800 chargers by 2026 across America and Canada. You can locate a charger and estimate the cost of the charging session. Business owners can also choose to become site hosts to Electrify America’s charging points.
One of the biggest worries of EV owners is running out of charge. You go on a long road trip, and rather than enjoying the trip, you are always worried about running out of charge. Will you be stuck in the middle of nowhere? The good news is- you can use an app to find EV charging stations.
You can check the route beforehand and plan your trip accordingly. Not only that, a reliable app to find electric car charging stations will help you estimate the cost of charging and the time required for each charge. Moreover, many charging stations are equipped with fast chargers. These will allow you to charge your EV faster than at home.
There are many additional benefits to having a reliable charging station finder app, like finding a station equipped with a renewable energy source. Most people buy EVs because they are conscious of the environmental damage caused by gasoline cars and their own carbon footprint.
Buying an EV is a step in the right direction, but they can take it a step further by charging their EVs at a station running on renewable energy sources.
The app will also save you time as you don’t have to stop anywhere, asking people for the nearest charging point. You know that already because of your app.
Now that we know the advantages of EV charging station finder apps and their importance for EV drivers, let’s learn about the top apps in the segment. It’s good to study the best EV charging apps as it informs you about the must-have features.
This will help you include the essential elements of your app. Studying the drawbacks of each app will also help you add additional elements t your app, which can give you a head start on your competitors.
If you are serious about developing an app to find free EV charging stations, you must include the following features in your app. These features will ensure your on-demand fuel app development is a success.
This is kind of a no-brainer. Your app must have navigation that allows users to find the charging station. Add a trip planning feature on the app to make it more useful. This will help users to plan their charging session beforehand. It will come in handy for drivers planning long road trips.
EVs are expanding and reaching new markets. More and more people are embracing this change. This will lead to an increase in the number of charging stations. This is why you must allow app users to add a station that is not already present. This will serve your users better and also help you future-proof your business.
EV charging station finder apps cannot be one size fits all, as different drivers have different needs. This is why you should let users customize their experience. Whether they want notifications for real-time availability of charging points or notifications when the charging session is over should be left to them. This priority to the user will serve your app and the business well.
Providing a payment option to users is also a fantastic feature to have on your app. Ensure you provide multiple payment options to users, including using credit cards and payment wallets. This will also help you to give bonuses and offers to customers who pay through the app.
Read more: Future of Mobile App Development – Trends to Lookout in 2024
Several apps have come up which help you find EV charging stations. A user may be spoilt for choice. How can you then pick the best EV charging station finder app? It’s easy to choose the right one if you know the app’s must-have features. Some of these must-have features are:
Knowing the location of the EV charging station isn’t enough. You need to mow the exact spot to reach and use it. This is why your ideal app must have navigation to the charging stations. This will help save you time and effort.
Your ideal app must allow users to leave reviews for the stations. This will help users to know more about the station. User reviews will help users gauge the charging station’s quality and reliability.
The best EV charging station finder app will have broad coverage of stations across the country. This must include both private and public charging stations. Further, a list of both fast and slow chargers is another excellent piece of information to have. This will help you plan your trip accordingly, as you will know the estimated time to charge your EV.
The real-time update is another great feature that is a must-have in the best app. You don’t want to wait for hours to charge your car. Real-time updates will inform you about the waiting time at a particular station. This, in turn, will help you make informed choices.
As we know, the cost of developing any app depends on several factors like the location of talent, features, customization, and size of the team. EV charging station finder app development is no different.
North American and European Developers have a higher per-hour charge than their Indian counterparts. So, the location of developers will be a factor in the final cost of the app. Mobile app development companies in the USA are not the right partner for you if your budget is limited.
The more features you have, the longer it will take to develop the app, and the higher the cost of the app will be. If you want to have features that will help you stand out from the crowd, you’ll have to shell out extra for that. Developing the best Android app for EV charging station apps is not cheap by any means, and if you are looking for exactly that, be prepared to shell out more for your app.
A bigger team working on your app will cost you more than a smaller team. The size of the team is also dependent on the platform. If you want your app for both iOS and Android, you’ll have two independent teams working on it. Obviously, this means shelling out more significant money for the project.
Looking at the above factors, a basic EV charging station finer app can cost you anywhere from $10,000 to $20,000. However, for a customizable app with special features, you may have to shell out around $50,000.
EV is the future of transportation, and as its reach increases with time, people will look for the solution to its biggest problem-finding charging stations. An EV charging station finder app will come in handy for EV drivers. It is also a great opportunity for business as the scope of the industry is still expanding. You can be a part of this profitable business if you hire a top mobile app development company.
These apps help you locate the nearest charging stations. This allows you to plan your trip accordingly and not be worried about running out of charge.
Most EV charging station finder apps are free to use—some other apps which are paid also come with free versions with limited features and access.
Almost all these apps are available on both the play store and Apple Store, making them compatible with iOS and Android. Some of these apps even have web apps, making accessing them easy with non-mobile devices.
The cost of developing an EV charging station finder app depends on various factors like features, customization, platform and location of talent, etc. Depending on these, the cost can be anywhere around $10000 to $20000.
Yes, many apps provide real-time updates but not all of them. It is a great feature to have if you are developing your EV charging station finder app.
Some apps do provide this service but not all of them. It is better to check with your before trying to pay.
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