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The availability of charging stations for electric cars is a valid concern for those looking to switch from gasoline cars. Luckily, there are plenty of websites and apps that make finding a charging station near you — and what it will cost you if you have to pay — super easy.
The best ways to find an EV charging station near you
Before looking for a charging station, you need to know what type will charge your vehicle. Fortunately, that’s pretty easy. Any electric vehicle (EV) made and sold in North America will be able to use a Level 1 or Level 2 charging station, which means there are plenty out there. If your vehicle supports Level 3 DC Fast Charging (DCFC), you’ll often find those stations in the same area as Level 2, although there may not be as many available.
Tesla has its own network of chargers made to work with its vehicles, and they remain largely open only to Tesla drivers, though that could change in the near future. All of this means that whatever type of electric vehicle you drive, chances are you can find a charging station nearby.
Third party applications and websites
There are several third-party apps for electric vehicle owners who want to see available charging stations from any of the charging networks in North America. These apps stay pretty up-to-date and can show you everything from what charge levels are available at a given station to the rate per kilowatt-hour if you have to pay. Some even allow users to add photos of the station and leave comments.
Here are some of the most popular apps:
These apps also have websites you can access from a computer or other device, and usually display a map with clickable pins signifying charging stations. Click one and you can find out which charging network the station is on, what the rate per kilowatt-hour is, how many outlets are available, and in most cases, whether the station is busy.
Other online resources include the US Department of Energy’s Alternative Fuel Data Center site, and even Google Maps will tell you about nearby charging stations with a reasonable degree of accuracy.
Some of these resources, like Google Maps, won’t tell you what level the charging station is on, they’ll just show you its output in kilowatts. It’s still pretty easy to calculate the level of electrical output, but if you’re new to EV charging, you’ll probably want to stick with apps like ChargeHub that explain everything.
Electric Vehicle Manufacturer Applications
Electric vehicle manufacturers like Tesla and Nissan often include an app with their cars that can tell drivers where to find a charging station, the rate an electric vehicle charges when plugged in, and other useful information. Tesla is probably best known for this, but other EV manufacturers like Ford and GM also have their own apps that you can use to find a charging station that works with your vehicle.
Cargo network applications
Major non-Tesla electric vehicle charging networks in North America include Electrify America, EVGo, ChargePoint, Volta, FordPass and more. They all have an app that you can use to both find a station and pay any applicable session fees and kilowatt-hour fees.
Some of these companies, like Electrify America, offer monthly memberships. Electrify America has a membership fee of $4.00 per month as of this writing that allows you to waive the $1.00 session fee and reduces the kilowatt-hour fee at their stations. FordPass also has a partnership with Electrify America that provides Ford EV owners with access offers.
The downside of these apps is that they will only show you nearby charging stations on your network, so searching through multiple apps to get the full picture can be tedious. However, if you have a preference for a certain charging network, it might be worth sticking with their app as they will be the most up-to-date for new stations added to the network. Another caveat: Since these apps are in the early stages, people have reported a less than stellar user experience.
What you will pay at an EV charging station and how
The rate you pay to charge will depend on factors such as the network you use, whether you have a subscription to a certain network, what the kilowatt-hour rate is, what the capacity of your electric vehicle battery is, and how full that battery was. battery when connected. until charging. If you’re using a DCFC station, it’s probably a higher fee to load up, but it’s still usually on par (or less) than a tank of gas.
We recommend sticking with free stations or charging at home if you can whenever possible. But if you can’t, there are a few ways to pay. Charging networks will usually allow you to pay through their app, although people have reported problems doing so. Often you can also pay with a credit or debit card at the charging station. Whichever app you use to find a station can tell you the rate per minute or per kilowatt-hour, which you can use to estimate your total.
RELATED: How does charging an EV battery compare to a tank of gas?
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