We recently covered how you can find an EV charging station around you with our post Plug-In Vehicle and EV Charging station trackers, but if you own an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch there may be an easy way to figure out how to fill up your EV when you're on the road with the PlugShare app (coming soon to Android).
The app is free and easy to sign up for. Once you register, it automatically shows your home on the map, so if you don't want EV enthusiasts knocking on your door asking for an extension cord and to hang out in your driveway for a few hours, you may want to set your profile to "Unshare Charger". But that's not the sustainable spirit now is it! (Mapawatt Disclosure: I am Unsharing my 120 outlet...only because my wife would not be too happy when I'm away on business and someone rolls up asking where they can stick their plug)
On your account you can fill in a little bit about yourself, and let people know if you have a standard 120V outlet or a EV plug (J1772) or both. If you are sharing your outlet, you will then show up on the map.
The map displays homes with standard outlets, EV plugs, and charging stations around you. This is a great tool if you have an Apple device and are planning a trip where you will need to find places to recharge.
The downside is that if you don't own an Apple device, there is no online version of the app! You can only enter information through the app. This means that if you don't have an Apple device, you can't just go online and enter your information for those to see. In my opinion, this is a huge flaw that should be corrected so all options are available to EV owners who need to find a place to charge their vehicles. If someone doesn't own an iPhone, they should still be able to use their laptop and free wireless or a library to locate a charging station near them.
In any case, this is a great start to helping EV owners fill up!
Here's a youtube video showing the PlugShare iPhone app in action.
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