plan trip with ev charging

Electric Vehicle Trip Planner

Plan your next electric vehicle road trip and choose from more than 30,000 charging stations in Roadtrippers.

Select the Auto & RV Services category.

Click Filters and then select EV Charging.

Start planning your trip.

Choose a destination and then add charging stations along with your favorite road trip stops.

Start planning your trip

Classic American Road Trips

Explore the country in your electric vehicle. Here’s some of our favorite trips. Save them to your profile and start adding charging stations along your route.

A Highway 1 road trip along California’s Central Coast

The top things to do on a Route 66 road trip

The top things to do on an East Coast road trip

The top things to do on a Blue Ridge Parkway road trip

Get ready to hit the road.

Can you take a road trip in an electric vehicle?

Road trip tips: How to prepare for the road with snacks, apps, and entertainment

How to plan a road trip: 5 steps to get you ready to hit the road

• Trip guides
• Trip Planner
• Sign up Log in Sign out
• Log in Sign out
• ROADTRIPPERS MEMBERSHIP
• RV RESOURCES

Plan your journey, find amazing places, and take fascinating detours with our app.

If you used to sign in with Roadpass, you should now use the same username and password to log in directly with Roadtrippers above.

We couldn't find an existing Roadtrippers account using that service. Please try signing in with another option.

We need your email address to send you trip itineraries and other updates.

How do you want to plan your trip?

With just a few questions, our newest Premium feature, Autopilot, will plan your next adventure.

Electric Vehicle Trip Planner

Easily find all the EV charging stations available along your route in North America.

To learn more about the different types of charging stations and how to charge before planning your trip, check out our guide on   ”How To Charge Your Electric Car With Charging Stations ” .

How To Use The EV Trip Planner?

To access the trip planner from the ChargeHub website, click on “Map”, in the top left corner of the navigation bar.

Once you are on the map page, you can open the trip planner panel by clicking the “Trip Planner” tab on the left side of the charging stations map page.

To enable the planner, click on the “OFF/ON” button so that it is "ON" . Note that at this point, you will have the option to select the unit of measurement by clicking on "KM" .

Once enabled the Trip Planner right sidebar will be displayed.

Enter Your Trip Details

Enter a “ Starting Point” and “ Destination” in the trip planner. It will suggest options based on what you input. Select the option you want, as shown in the following screenshot.

Now you have the option to choose how far away from your route you want the charging stations to be. Then click on "Find Routes". 

After clicking on “Find Routes” you will be asked to choose which route you prefer from the proposed routes as seen below, on the right panel of the Trip Planner :

Once you select a route, click on "Start Planning My Trip" and start adding charging stations to your itinerary, as explained in the following section "Add Charging Stops to your Itinerary".

Add Charging Stops to your Itinerary

At this point, you can add charging stations to your trip by zooming in on the map and clicking on map markers.

If you are planning to use the ChargeHub App to activate the station and pay , please make sure to select charging stations that have a golden thunderbolt in the center, as seen in the image below.

Only the charging stations that have a golden thunderbolt in the center are compatible with ChargeHub’s wallet app. You can pay for your charging sessions , across all available networks, at these charging stations, from within the app.

Once you have selected a charging station, all the information regarding the station will be displayed, on the right side of the screen.

Based on your EV and charging preferences, you can decide if the charging station meets your needs. If it does, add it to your trip by clicking "Add to trip".

NOTE: If you click on “See Complete Details” you will exit the trip planner and it will reset. In this case, you will need to start the whole Trip Planner process again from step one.

Once the charging station has been selected, it will be added to your trip as shown below.

If you need to add more charging stations, select and add as many as you need, by following the same process.

Save And Share Your EV Trip

Once you have finalized your itinerary you can: 

• Save your trip in your account for future reference
• Access your saved trips.

NOTE: To save and load a trip, you must be logged in to your  ChargeHub account.

Check out our other guides and resources on home charging

• A Beginner’s Guide to Electric Cars
• How to choose your charging station
• Top 9 most popular charging stations in 2024
• Incentives available in Canada for EV chargers
• Find the best EVSE solution according to your EV or PHEV

Browse the chargers on the ChargeHub Store

Find Public Charging Stations Near You

Plan your journey by electric car

The Chargemap route planner is here to help you plan the ideal trip that corresponds to your EV and preferences.

Download the Chargemap app for free on your mobile phone

Scores based on more than 55,000 ratings.

Hit the road in all peace of mind , Chargemap takes care of everything.

Indicate your departure point and destination, the battery level at the start of the journey and the level you want at the end of it, plus any midway stages.

Enter the EV you are taking on the journey.

Prioritise or limit a charging network, avoid tolls and motorways or log in a maximum speed to save on energy. The planner takes your charging preferences on board.

Chargemap automatically calculates your route and selects the charging stations that match up with the information you have logged in. You can also visualise your route directly: distance, overall travel time and the necessary charging stop(s) along the way.

Calculate your journey and come back to it whenever you want. Save time with the Save option for the route you have selected.

Access information about the charging station on the details screen and launch the navigation tool for your next charging stop on your favourite GPS app.

Where are you going?

What car model do you drive, you want to prioritise a charging network on your journey, enjoy the optimum route adapted to your needs, save your route, you're on your way.

Consult the charging stations in the vicinity

You want to see all the charging stations available along your route? Tap on the “Stations” button to find all the charging stations available in your vicinity.

Fine-tune your search for alternative stations

You want to take a charging break near a restaurant or go for a pub lunch? Click on the “Stations” icon then on the “Filter” cursor to fine-tune your charging preferences on your personalised route.

Adapt the Chargemap route to your needs and wishes.

You want to stay a little longer at a charging stop or set off again with a specific battery level.

When you reach a specific point along your way, you want to stop for longer to have a lunch break or take a stroll in the surrounding area. You can modify either the duration of your break, or the battery level you want before resuming your journey.

You need to charge near a specific location?

You want to profit from a charging stop to do a bit of sightseeing or go and see friends and family and so you are looking for a charging station in the vicinity. The route planner allows you to select an alternative charging station along the way.

Want to stop at a different charging station than the one selected?

With Chargemap, plan your ideal route by selecting the charging stations of your favourite networks. The tool automatically calculates a new route based on your preferences.

Electric vehicle charging, made easy

No need to juggle between different cards or applications, charge on most European charging networks with the Chargemap Pass.

The leading community of EV drivers in Europe is at your fingertips.

pierre-piet

"So helpful!"

"Chargemap is undeniably THE app to have when you drive an EV. It’s accurate and stuffed full of information. It really is the go-to app so you’re never left by the wayside! And all for free!"

Michel Barré

"Great app"

"Oh, so practical!"

"Practical"

"Crucial for every journey!"

Roberto Lerobi

"A must-have"

"One of the best apps when travelling by EV. For me, it’s the main app I use when driving long distances."

• Montpellier
• United Kingdom
• BP Europa SE
• Shell Recharge
• TotalEnergies
• Tesla Superchargeurs

Plan longer electric journeys

Use our EV route planner to see where to stop on longer routes, what's available in those areas, and how long you’ll need to charge.

Find the best route for your car

With our ev route planner.

Zapmap’s route planner provides peace of mind and the confidence to drive any length of journey in your EV. With access to the widest choice of charging options and real-time availability status, our route planner helps you plot a journey that’s tailored to your needs, whether it’s a family adventure or a solo mission.

EV route planning

Different routing modes

to suit your preferences

Peace of mind

on longer journeys

Zapmap Premium

With a number of ways to quickly locate charge points tailored to your needs, Zapmap Premium helps you drive smarter. On top of filters for new charge points and multi-charger locations, Premium gets Zapmap into your in-car dashboard via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. This means you can locate suitable charge points, view live charge point status and access route plans - all while on the move. What's more, with Premium you can save unlimited filters, route plans and EV models.

Sign up to the Zapmap newsletter

Keep up to date with the latest news, stats and guides on EV charging from Zapmap and the EV community.

The latest EV news & knowledge

The zapmap newsletter, want to learn about ev charging and zapmap product developments.

Keep up to date with the latest news, stats and guides on EV charging and lots more - receive fortnightly updates straight to your inbox

Download the Zapmap App!

Get started today.

Scan the QR code with the camera on your mobile device

We're happy to answer any questions you may have, just send us a message via this form and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

• Popular Routes

Easy EV Trip Planner

Leave range anxiety in the dust.

All estimates listed are estimated and may not be 100% precise. Service brands are trademarks of their respective owners, and we are not affiliated with them. All rights reserved. Read our privacy policy. 2023 © AmpTrip - EV Trip Planner

Oh no! It looks like JavaScript is not enabled in your browser.

The ultimate guide to road tripping with an electric car

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here .

The past couple of years have changed the travel world in many ways, but two things stand out to me: road trips and electric cars.

Early in the pandemic, we saw road trips take the spotlight during a coronavirus-fueled dip in air travel. Even after vaccines helped air travel rebound, many travelers still prefer to take the great American road trip when visiting national parks , cities and everywhere in between.

At the same time, more and more drivers are switching to electric cars, with adoption steadily rising both in the U.S. and abroad. This has become more prevalent as gas prices continue to rise due to world conflict and supply chain issues, and even rental car companies have begun to add EVs to their fleets.

Related: 5 lessons learned from taking a road trip in the age of coronavirus

After a summer of rental car road trips, I purchased a used 2016 BMW i3 in August 2020. It's a range-extended electric compact car, meaning that it also has a small gas motor that can charge the battery on the go. This, combined with the car being a hatchback, makes it — in my opinion — the ultimate road trip vehicle for those living in a major city like New York .

Since buying the i3, I've taken it on a couple of short trips. It's a different experience than road tripping with a gas car, and newcomers to the electric car world might be deterred if they don't know what to expect.

In this article, I'll share some tips I've picked up while on the road with my EV. I'll discuss everything from what to look for when buying an EV for road trips to how to find charging stations. I'll also share some trip-planning tips.

Let's dive (drive?) in!

For more curated TPG travel tips and recommendations delivered each morning to your inbox, sign up for our free daily newsletter .

Choosing an electric car for road trips

There are some important considerations if you're in the market for an electric car and plan on road tripping it. Here are some elements to examine as you go through the car buying process, such as car range and whether or not you should purchase a plug-in hybrid.

Related: Should I buy a used car instead of renting this summer?

Criteria for a road-trip capable electric car

It's important to look for a car that has appropriate range for the trips you plan to take. So, don't buy a car with an 80-mile range if you plan to take 500+ mile road trips regularly. That said, you don't need an ultra-long-range electric car for these trips. Something like the BMW i3 94ah has a 153-mile range which — if you don't mind making a few stops — can be a good bet for longer trips.

Consider a long-range Tesla or a Chevrolet Bolt if you want to avoid frequent charges. These cars have well over 200 miles of electric range. This means you're subject to less charging stops, but you'll generally spend more on the car. This is especially true on the used market where long-range cars tend to have a higher resale value.

In my opinion, road trippers should avoid cars like the Fiat 500e and the electric Mercedes-Benz B-Class. These cars have sub-100-mile electric range and don't offer a range extender option. That means you'll have to charge frequently on long trips. Further, these cars may not be able to handle longer trips that don't have chargers en route.

Related: The pros and cons of Amex's Auto Purchasing Program

Consider a plug-in hybrid or range-extended vehicle

Further, you may want to consider an electric car that's not fully electric. You have two options here: plug-in hybrids and range-extended electric vehicles. The former are essentially standard hybrid vehicles with larger batteries that can be charged externally. These cars generally have 15 to 50 miles of electric range and full-size gas tanks.

That said, these vehicles don't have a fully electric driving experience and don't generally offer fast charging options (more on that soon). I find these cars less fun to drive and — if you want to drive in electric mode — considerably more inconvenient to charge. At the same time, they can make great road-trip vehicles with a gas engine.

On the other hand, range-extended electric cars are fully electric vehicles with a small gas motor. This motor effectively charges the car's battery to provide additional range when driving long distances. My BMW i3 is equipped with the range extender option, and it's saved me on longer trips where I find myself far away from a public charger.

I prefer range-extended cars to plug-in hybrids since you always have the electric driving experience (think: immediate torque). Plus, these cars are usually equipped with fast charging and other EV-specific technology features.

Related: The best credit cards for purchasing a car

DC fast charging is key for a sane road trip

Here's a big one: only purchase a car with included DC fast charging if you plan on road tripping. More and more fast chargers are popping up around the country which can charge a vehicle — as in the case of the BMW i3 — to 80% in just 45 minutes. This is possible as fast chargers — commonly called Level 3 chargers — provide up to 250kW+ per hour.

On the other hand, a vehicle without this option can only use Level 2 public chargers, which charge at around 11kW per hour. This is still faster than plugging in at home but will take a ton of extra time to charge when on the go. Going back to the i3 example, it takes around three hours to charge from 0% to 80%.

This option is even more important when on long road trips. If you have to wait hours every time your vehicle runs low on battery, it will take you quite a long time to get to your destination. On the other hand, a 45-minute stop is enough time to grab lunch and set navigation to your next charge point or final destination.

Thankfully, almost all new fully electric vehicles and range-extended cars are equipped with fast charging. Some older electric cars don't have this option, though, so make sure to inquire about it before you go for a test drive. Some cars that aren't equipped with this feature include some 2014 and 2015 BMW i3s, all models of the Fiat 500e and some older Nissan Leafs.

Check battery degradation when buying a used car

Plan on buying used? Make sure to check the car's battery status before you buy. Like all batteries, the battery inside of an electric car will degrade over time. This is normal, but excessive degradation can make your road trip life difficult. You can usually check battery status on the car's infotainment system.

Thankfully, most electric cars have long battery warranties. For example, my used BMW i3 has a 100,000 mile/eight-year warranty on the battery, meaning I'm covered through 2024 on my 2016 model. According to BMW, a battery replacement can be authorized if a battery degrades 30% or more during the warranty period.

How to plan a road trip with an electric car

As discussed, road tripping with an electric car is different than with a gas car. It requires a bit more planning for pure electric vehicles which — while tedious — isn't too bad once you get the hang of it. Let's take a look at how I plan road trips in my electric car.

Plan your route around fast chargers and be mindful of range

First things first: You'll need to charge when out on the road, so you must plan your driving route around available public chargers located near highways, expressways or wherever else you're driving. You'll need to charge before your battery dies to avoid calling roadside assistance , but there's a bit more to it than this.

Unfortunately, electric car range is dynamic. You'll use more battery when accelerating quickly, going up hills and when using climate control. Always give yourself at least a 10% buffer when looking for chargers. This means that if you have a car with a 100-mile range, plan chargers that are no more than 90 miles apart.

Additionally, try and stick to fast chargers when you're on the road. This ensures that you're not stuck at a given charger for hours while waiting for your car to charge. Instead, you can plug in for 30 to 40 minutes and you're back on the road without issue.

You can plan your trips manually or use an app like PlugShare. I'll go in-depth on this app in the next section, but in short, it's a crowdsourced directory of all chargers available near your location. The app's built-in route planner can be a huge timesaver when mapping out long, multi-charge road trips.

Look for hotels with chargers

Another way to save time on charging is by staying at hotels that offer electric car charging in their parking lots or garages. These are becoming more and more common, and oftentimes charging is either free or included with the parking fee. These are generally Level 2 chargers, though, so they're best suited for charging overnight.

No charging at your hotel? Ask the hotel staff if they have an outdoor plug you can use. Most electric vehicles include a Level 1 wall charger that can be used with any standard wall socket. If the hotel is OK with it, this charger will slowly charge your vehicle overnight and give you at least enough power to make it to your next destination.

Related: 7 mistakes every road tripper makes at least once

Use these apps and charging networks to find public chargers

Now that you know how to plan a trip, let's take a look at the best way to find public chargers. As mentioned in the last section, several charging networks exist nationwide in the U.S. Some of these include ChargePoint and Electrify America. That said, there are many non-networked public chargers that you can find in parking garages and on city streets.

Here's a look at the apps and charging networks I use on electric car road trips. Before you head out on your first electric road trip, make sure to download these.

PlugShare for most public chargers

PlugShare is a community-powered electric charger app. You can use this app to view networked, non-networked and home chargers that are open to the public. Even better, you can sort chargers by speed, connector type and cost. This can be immensely helpful when trying to find a fast charger on a long trip.

Further, the app has a trip-planning feature that will help you find electric car charge points along a given route. Just enter your origin and destination and the app will show you all the chargers nearby. You can even input your car's range to plan your route around charging stops.

Tesla owners are also in luck with the ChargePoint app. It shows all Tesla Destination Chargers, SuperChargers and other compatible chargers on the map. Just toggle on the Tesla connector in the app and locations will appear on the map.

ChargePoint has chargers around the US

ChargePoint is one of the biggest electric car charging networks in the U.S., offering both Level 2 and Level 3 chargers in major cities and along some major highways. Many ChargePoint locations will show on the PlugShare app, but I recommend downloading both apps, as PlugShare will often miss specific chargers. Also, you can use the ChargePoint app to pay for charging at several charging locations.

One word of caution: The ChargePoint app sometimes shows chargers that aren't available for public use. This is especially the case here in New York where many city vehicles have transitioned to plug-in hybrids or full electric vehicles. Keep an eye out for this when looking for places to charge.

Electrify America for DC fast chargers near highways

In the Northeast, I almost exclusively use Electrify America chargers on road trips. The company has a huge network of fast chargers located both within cities and near major highways, usually located at Walmarts, Targets and other shopping centers. Pricing is pretty reasonable, too — it varies based on how fast you're able to charge and you can get a discount by signing up for a membership ($4 per month).

Using these chargers is remarkably simple. Just drive up, plug in your car and select the charger you're using on the Electrify America app to start charging. The charge fee is billed to your credit card after you're finished charging.

One downside to Electrify America, however, is that its stations can be unreliable. On a recent drive from Philadelphia to New York, I stopped at a charger only to find three of the four available chargers were out of service. The fourth charger was in use, so I called tech support who offered me a free fill-up at a nearby charger.

Earn bonus miles on electric car charging

Since you'll usually pay for charging when on the road, why not earn miles in the process? Most chargers do not code as travel, so you'll want to use a credit card that earns extra points on general spending . There's a variety of these cards on the market, and some of our favorites include:

• The Blue Business®️ Plus Credit Card from American Express (2 Membership Rewards points per dollar on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar, giving you a 4% return based on TPG's valuation )
• Chase Freedom Unlimited (1.5% cash back/1.5 Ultimate Rewards points per dollar for a 3% return based on TPG's valuation )
• Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card (2 miles per dollar on purchases, giving you a 2.8% return based on TPG's valuations )

If you're completing a credit card spending requirement , you may want to use it to pay for your charging. For example, I use my Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card to pay for charging so I can earn bonus Medallion Qualifying Miles to qualify for Delta elite status .

Related: Maximizing points and miles on summer road trips

Bottom line

Road tripping in an electric car is different from a road trip in a gasoline car, but it's still fun. In fact, I've often found that road trips are more enjoyable in my EV as I see new places I otherwise wouldn't. On top of this, money saved on gas can be used to stay in better hotels and eat at nicer restaurants. Sounds like a win-win to me.

I think the biggest takeaway is to always be mindful of your range. Planning your route along charge points and stopping to charge before you need to charge is key to an enjoyable and stress-free trip. If this isn't for you, consider a range-extended electric car or a plug-in hybrid for more flexibility.

Drive safe!

Feature photo by Andrew Kunesh/The Points Guy.

Best EV Route Planner in 2024 (According To EV Owners)

Last Updated on March 7, 2024 by Rose Morah

Searching for a good EV route planner can be confusing.

So, we recently took a deep dive into EV route planners.

First, we researched the most recommended EV route planner apps by EV owners who:

• Own an EV and have used different route planner apps.
• Have planned long road trips with EV route planners.

We then planned road trips to different locations in North America (both in cities, rural areas, and on cross-country trips) using the most recommended route planners in order to come up with best app for EV route planning.

But before we dive into the findings, let’s first find out what really makes a good EV road trip planner.

What makes a good EV road trip planner ?

• It should be close to perfect

This means it gives you a close to accurate charge for your next destination. This is great, especially for new EV owners because it minimizes the range anxiety when going on long road trips. 

Additionally, it should provide users with accurate information about the types of chargers and how fast they really are.

• It should allow you to filter the charging stops based on the connector, charging speed, and the number of available chargers.

It should be able to plan a route that has multiple chargers and not just gives you what it thinks are the routes with the most convenient chargers.

Some of these routes may turn out to be ‘chargeless’ or you may end up skipping several high-power chargers.

• The app should be fast, user-friendly, and with very few bugs .

Smart Tips for Planning A Road Trip With An EV .

How to use Tesla J1772 Adapter at non-Tesla public charging stations .

The most recommended EV trip planners by EV owners

The pie chart below shows the most recommended EV route planners by EV owners:

• A Better Route Planner (ABRP)

Summary of the best EV apps in public charging stations:

• 45% of the EV owners recommended PlugShare, while 47% recommended ABRP.
• Some EV owners enjoy using PlugShare in conjunction with ABRP when planning long road trips.
• Only 6% of EV owners recommended Chargeway.
• 2% recommended other EV route planner apps.

NOTE: 70% of Tesla owners recommended the Tesla in-built trip planner. I have not included it in the above data as it is only applicable to Tesla cars.

Best Tesla Trip Planner App In 2022 (According To Tesla Owners) .

How‌ ‌to‌ ‌Use‌ ‌A ‌Better‌ ‌Route‌ ‌Planner‌ (With Illustrations) .

Our experiences with the most recommended EV trip planner apps

As mentioned earlier, we then took the top 3 most recommended EV trip planner apps (PlugShare, ABRP, and Chargeway) on a 2-week cross-country road trip across different cities/towns. 

The data below shows our most recommended EV route planner based on our experience with different EVs.

Summary of the findings:

Based on our experiences with the 3 apps, ABRP emerged as the top app followed closely by PlugShare, and the least recommended was ChargeWay.

Let’s begin from the bottom: our ChargeWay experiences:

• ChargeWay is not that great for cross-country road trips. However, it is a great app if you are touring big cities.
• It lacked some important features that can be found on ABRP and PlugShare apps.

ABRP and PlugShare were the best EV route planner apps, based on our experiences. These two apps have been in the game for quite a while and seem like they are here to stay!

Additionally, you can use them together for a better road trip experience.

For instance, we used A Better Route Planner (ABRP) to plan our trips, and PlugShare to find better-charging options by browsing the charging stations, places to sleep while you charge overnight, restrooms, shopping, WIFI e.t.c along the route.

You might also like:

How‌ ‌to‌ ‌Use‌ ‌A ‌Better‌ ‌Route‌ ‌Planner‌ ABRP (With Illustrations) .

6 Must-Have EV Accessories (Best EV Accessories) .

ABRP VS PlugShare

The table below shows a comparison between ABRP and PlugShare

Related : ABRP Vs Plugshare: Which is The Best EV Trip Planner App?

In conclusion, apps are constantly being updated and new features are always coming out all the time. Therefore, be sure to always keep an eye on PlugShare and ABRP websites for future updates so you don’t miss out on any of them.

Hello there! My name is Rose. I’m passionate about electric cars and clean energy. My adventurous spirit and journalistic pursuits make each day fascinating and far greater. I consider traveling not just about the grandeur moments, but the little elements that transform the whole experience.

Related Posts

How To Sleep In The Car Overnight (Best Tips & Hacks)

How To Quickly Fall Asleep In The Car

How To Sleep In A Small Car (Best Tips & Hacks)

• Car Buying Tips
• Destinations
• Car Road Trip
• Motorcycle Road Trip
• Travel Tips

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

How To Plan an EV Road Trip With Google Maps' Charging Feature

Your EV’s built-in Google Maps app is designed to keep you charged.

For electric vehicles with Google Maps installed, road trips have become a lot easier. The popular navigation app can now manage vehicle charging along your route, meaning you won’t have to stress over making it to a station before your battery runs out.

What can Google Maps do?

Multiple modern EVs — like models from Volvo , Polestar , GM, and possibly even Rivian — come preinstalled with a specialized version of Google Maps that can directly tap into the vehicle’s systems to keep track of your trip.

Maps works directly with compatible EVs to keep track of your vehicle’s battery levels, energy usage, and other metrics to make sure you don’t run out of battery halfway through your journey. With this, Maps can also predict what your battery will be upon arrival.

Specifically, the app will generate real-time estimates of your remaining battery on arrival, and if you’re predicted to run out of power before reaching your destination, the app will prompt you to pick a charging stop to add to your route. If you need to stop more than once, the app will automatically add the necessary charging stops across the route, and these stops will be calculated into your trip duration.

Recently added Google Maps features focusing on charging will also help you find the right station to juice your EV at. The update allows users to look at a more detailed AI-generated description of where chargers are located (i.e. Enter the underground parking lot and follow the signs toward the exit. Just before exiting, turn right.) Hopefully, those summaries are accurate — AI has a habit of hallucinating information, and the last thing you need is to wander aimlessly in a parking garage looking for a charger.

The summaries should be rolling out to all Google Maps users in the coming months.

In addition to charger location summaries, Google Maps now shows nearby chargers on the in-car map and gives you real-time data on whether the charger is in use and charging speeds.

How do you access Google Maps’ EV charging feature?

Google Maps’ charging features are available for EVs like those made by Volvo which have Maps integrated into the car’s onboard computer.

Most of these features will engage automatically while driving, meaning you don’t have to do anything unless prompted to (like adding a charging station to your route when Google detects that you’ll need it).

However, searching for charging stations is pretty simple:

• Tap the “Search” button, and the search menu should open.
• Then, search for charging stations.
• From here, you’ll be presented with a series of filters to narrow down your search.
• You can search by charger type, payment network, or charging speed — including a filter for “very fast” speed that only shows 150 - 350kW chargers.

You can also manually add a charging station when creating a route:

• Search for a destination, and create a route
• Once the route has been generated, there should be a button labeled “Add charging stop”
• Tap this button, and select a charging station along the route.

Along with this, Maps’ voice recognition can be used to perform most of these functions without having to use a touchscreen while driving.

Currently, Google has not added an equivalent to the mobile version of Google Maps. However, the app can still be used to find electric charging stations. This can be done by typing in “electric charging station” into Maps — the same way you would search for a gas station — which will then show multiple stations in your area.

Tapping on these locations will provide additional information, including charging speeds, charger types, and availability of each.

However, because the mobile version of Google Maps can’t connect directly to an EV, it isn’t able to collect any information on battery levels or usage. As a result, it can’t accurately add charging stops to any trips.

This article was originally published on April 17, 2023

On test: The eight best EV route planner apps

• Jun 20, 2023

If you’re heading across the country in your EV this summer, an EV route planner app will help you plan charging stops along your route . With so many different journey planning tools available for electric car drivers, which is the best? Back in 2022 we did some of the work for you, testing the top apps and tools – and now we’ve done it all again a year later to keep you up-to-date this summer holiday season.

How do I plan a trip with my electric car?

A journey in your EV should be effortless, and the farm shops and other places you may stop add a bit more colour to your journey than a motorway service station. To go back to basics, when we talk about ‘planning’ we mean the following actions:

• Before starting a long trip, charge your EV to 100% at home.
• Download and sign in to at least one EV navigation app.
• Look for charging stations along the route in advance.
• Be realistic about how much time you need to add for charging.
• Pack your cable so that you can charge slowly while you are enjoying time away

What should I look for in an EV route planner?

A good EV planner should plan your route around charging stops with your EV in mind . That means knowing how long your EV can go before needing another charge. Some apps also factor in the terrain (hills) and the weight of passengers and luggage in your car.

EV planners should also help when plans change – with a good map that shows all the charge points around and checks that they are available.

Some EV planning apps also take the headache out of paying for your charging. Zap Map have a Zap Pay, and Octoverse lets you charge your charging to your home energy bill.

Our three golden rules for charging on EV road trips:

1. Stop rapid charging when you get to 80% (any more takes much longer); 2. Plan to stop driving at 20% (better for both battery and peace of mind); 3. Stick to the best networks. Our top picks are: Instavolt, Osprey, MFG and Gridserve.

The top EV route planners put to the test

The good news is that road trips in an electric car are getting easier and easier, with faster chargers – and more of them – dotted everywhere. But, although there are more chargers and they are more reliable, there are also more EVs on the road, so you are still better off doing a little planning before you set off on a long trip. Here are the top eight ev route planning apps we tested:

Zap-Map ABRP (A Better Route Planner) Watts Up Google Maps Plugshare EV Navigation Octopus Electroverse Bonnet

For each app we asked it to plan a 250-mile route from Aberystwyth, Wales to Essex in a VW ID.3. Scroll down to find out which of these we’ll be reaching for on our own road-trips, and which name left us wanting…

Zap-Map is the most well-known of route planners for EV drivers. It launched way back in 2014, and today the majority of UK EV drivers have it installed on their phones. Zap-Map has almost all public charge points mapped and around 70% showing live status data, so you can tell if a charger is in use.

Key features include search, filters, list of nearby chargers, detailed info on each charging point, Zap-Chat community feature and a smart route-planner.

There’s a free version, that allows you to do basically everything you may need. Zap Map ‘map’ has a bewildering number of pins because it shows all the available chargers, even the slowest 3kW chargers. You can filter these out to show only rapids. It shows you the cost and the availability (according to the charger itself) plus the hours or days since the last charge. Users often report chargers that are out of action. This gives you an idea of how reliable and/or busy the charger is.

The plus and premium version cost £29.99 and £47.99 per year, and give you a few extra features, like What3words navigation, enhanced filters and charger ratings to help you avoid the less reliable chargers. You have to pay for premium to get Android Auto and Apple CarPlay display in your car screen.

In-car display is a great feature, allowing you to see the details of each charge point including live charge point status data (where available) and the latest EV driver chats.The only downside is that if you are used to getting live traffic updates using Google Maps, you won’t get these when you’ve got Zap-Map plugged into your car.

Networks with live data on Zap-Map are indicated with an icon on their respective logos. Updated every five minutes, live data shows a blue marker around charge point icons when it is in use. Networks include: Instavolt, Osprey, Gridserve, MFG, BP Pulse, ESB, GeniePoint, Fastned, Ionity, Tesla, Shell, ChargePlace Scotland,

✔ Community chat is well used so you can see if a charger has had issues recently ✘  Charger colours aren’t particularly user-friendly (note: we found out how to get a handy symbols key in the app)

Sign up for the Zap-Map newsletter to get the latest on Zap-Map and charging news.

Here’s the route Zap-Map plotted for our VW ID.3

2. ABRP (A Better Route Planner)

A Better Route Planner (ABRP) is an app that guides you through the quickest way to arrive at your destination. It’s a website and an app for both Android and iOS devices.

A Better Route Planner is a smart, fun, and easy-to-use itinerary maker that lets you plot out routes in the most efficient way possible.

A Better Route Planner focuses on route planning and navigation specifically for electric vehicles. You have to simply select your vehicle model, enter your destination, and hit the big blue plan button to get a full planned route, including charging stations and trip duration.

It has a very simple interface. But change mode and you can see the hills on the route where you could use the most energy. Users say the results are very accurate, taking into account temperature and road conditions. Tesla drivers even prefer it to the Tesla Planner as it favours more charges within the efficient ‘fast’ charging zone of your battery than the Tesla app.

The free version allows you to share to Google Maps to get live traffic updates. The premium version has traffic built-in.

Here’s the route ABRP plotted for our VW ID.3

✔ Accurate predictions on range

✔ Shows you all the food options near your charger ✘  Live data on top charger networks only

Got the right energy tariff for your home charging?

EV tariff checker

3. Watts Up

Wattup shows live status for top networks – Instavolt, Osprey, and Gridserve and now live, as are smaller networks ChargePlaceScotland, ForEv.

Nearby public chargepoints are shown within the free CarPlay interface, this shows location, distance, power rating and live availability. And you can ‘favourite’ the chargers you like for quick reference.

We tried to upgrade to a trial version of ‘Discovery mode’ (cost £1 through Google Playstore), but it never worked and was impossible to cancel from the app itself, so we can’t even report on the benefits of that.

The Watts Up app shows at a glance who operates each charger.

✔ Seeing the logo of the charge operator on the map makes it easy to weigh up best operator against best location (see our top network tips above)

✘ Not on your laptop or tablet, it’s only an app on your phone

4. Google Maps

You can actually get some helpful information from Google Maps as an electric car driver, but it is buried deep within the mapping interface. What we trust Google to do is show us the best route and to reroute us based on what’s happening with traffic, so it’s worth including Google in this list of EV route planners. We expect that Google are working on making it better for predictions.

On a desktop computer, All you have to do is plug in your journey details, tap the option for ‘search along route’, and then search for ‘EV charging stations’. Then Google Maps will present you with all the stations along your route, with details about the type of chargers available. On your phone, tap the three dots on the top right and then ‘Search along route’. You still have to type ‘EV charging’, but then you’ll see all the chargers on your route and can add a stop.

The problem comes if you get rerouted because Google finds a quicker route. Google will think you still need to stop at that charger.

Google Maps might not suggest chargers, but you will see traffic on the route

✔ Live traffic on your route

✘ No help choosing chargers

Explore all electric cars

Find your next EV

5. PlugShare

This app is most like Zap-Map, but it seems like it’s aimed at a US driver. With brown and green pins that look like petrol pumps, it’s looks are not inspiring. The PlugShare app can be used to plan a trips in a specific vehicle and shows you a map. It doesn’t show how elevation affects your range, just shows you the likely max range with a big green circle on the map – and that is either very conservative or hasn’t noticed what car we selected. You can filter by reviews, so you can see only the best chargers in other drivers’ opinions.

We were expecting great things from PlugShare, but in fact were really disappointed. For example, it showed us Tesla chargers for our ID.3 (not the one’s just opened up to other users) and it didn’t seem easy to filter away slower chargers.

The app didn’t seem to know how far our ID.3 would go (100 miles safe zone)

✔ Easy to filter chargers by user ratings (this is Premium feature in Zap-Map) ✘  No option to share route to Google for real-time navigation from the app. And it let us choose chargers ‘along the route’, so we accidentally picked a Northbound charger on a Southbound journey!

6. EV Navigation

Back to the geeky end of route planning, EV Navigation , is a comprehensive solution for predicting the discharge rate of the battery with precision but it also manages to look simple. It calculates routes and takes the charging times into consideration. You can tell it how many people you have in the car and how you are likely to drive (sport, normal or eco), even the pressure in your tyres.

This gives EV drivers the ability to optimise their drive time and spend the least amount of time necessary waiting at charging stations. If you don’t like the look for the charging stop they suggest, it’s very hard to find alternatives.

EV Navigation gives good insights into your likely range for a specific journey

✔ Great to see the impact of passengers and driving style, etc.

✘ Not very interactive if you don’t want to use the charger selected

7. Octopus Electroverse

Even if you aren’t an Octopus customer, you can join the Electroverse charging network. Sign up and they send you a card so you can pay for charging through your home energy bill or on a registered card. On some networks there is a discount for using chargers off-peak – Osprey will give you 20% off for charging after 7pm.

We like the fact that the map shows you rapid chargers (namely Instavolt and Gridserve) that aren’t on the network. Better still, the Electroverse card works across Europe, where an RFID card or app are still vital, as contactless payments are less common.

Share £10 when you join Electroverse

Get £5 credit

On our latest review, the route planner now works from the app. The planner was made more difficult as autocomplete seemed to suggest lots of places in the USA with similar names. The route suggested was sensible, and you can send the route to Google Maps on your phone to get live traffic updates.

The map shows you all the networks in any spot, including those who haven’t partnered – of which the big names missing from their payments system are Instavolt and Gridserve. You’ll get a 20% discount on Osprey charging after 7pm.

✔ No more upfront ‘holds’ on your credit card, just pay it off on your home bill

✔ Great for European road trips

✘ Route planner doesn’t show you alternatives along the route, but you can use the app to see all the options

✘ Network doesn’t include Gridserve or Instavolt chargers (although you still see where these are on the app)

Bonnet is a payment app that lets you plan routes across the UK and Europe and access charging through a single app (or RFID card if you prefer). It is similar to the Electroverse app, except you can buy a number of Boosts which are subscriptions that get you a discount on all charging sessions. For £2 a month you can get 10% off charging, £8 gets you 15% off. The rapid networks to watch out for are Osprey, Ionity, MFG, and up and coming Evyve. It has also partnered to show untethered 7kW Connected Kerb chargers.

We were disappointed to learn that, just as if you had turned up to use contactless on a new network, Bonnet still has to hold £30 in prepayment authorisation for each charge you do.

Bonnet Premium does offer a route planning app for newer EVs. It is currently being offered for free as a beta product, but you need to add a payment method and will get a reminder if it ever starts to be a charged-for service.

We gave it a test, and found it very difficult to even find the route planning tool. (There’s a tiny bent arrow on the main map). The results, including one charger that was offline, were meaningless as they gave no information about the estimated battery SoC%, or charging time. On the bright side, it was easy to cancel Premium right there in the app.

Main features of the best EV route planners

The features offered by these apps are changing all the time. We’ve done our best to compare apps in May 2022 (updated June 2023), but if you have found any changes and would like to give us an update, we’d love to put things right. Email us at: [email protected]

Our verdict: Which route planning app is best?

We gave each EV route planning app a score for various aspects of planning a long journey. The best app scored 5, with the worst getting a 1:

By way of background, we’ve been driving an EV since 2019. We don’t often use public charging, as most of our journeys can be completed with home charging. We have always used Zap-Map to plan trips and Google Maps to navigate to avoid traffic jams and hold-ups. We stick to the better charger networks (see the golden rules above), and try and avoid charging when the roads are busy. Probably as a result of this, our experience of rapid charging in the last year is generally quite positive.

Following our desk-based research, we’ll be immediately retiring the PlugShare app. We’ll recommend Watts Up to our more anxious EV-newbie friends and relatives. And we’ll watch the newer EV Navigation for further developments.

Which is the best EV route planner app?

For our longest trips, we’d go to ABRP to provide the most accurate route planning. For the genuine ease of use (with one RFID card to almost end them all), we’d use Octopus Electroverse (and better still, you can get £5 credit when you join using our link ). Although we’d love to see payment links with the reliable Instavolt or motorway-based Gridserve networks in the future.

If you have a passenger who can check updates, Zap-Map is useful for the live charger status data for Gridserve chargers, but an update every five minutes could still leave you waiting for a charger, so it’s probably best to head to a larger site anyway.

New ways to power up your electric vehicle adventures with Google Maps

Apr 17, 2024

[[read-time]] min read

In time for Earth Day, we’re making it easier to find information about EV charging stations, whether you’re planning a drive or already on the road.

• Bullet points
• Google Maps introduces new features to enhance electric vehicle (EV) charging experiences.
• AI-powered summaries provide detailed descriptions of charger locations based on user reviews.
• In-car maps display nearby chargers with real-time port availability and charging speed.
• Suggested charging stops and forecasted energy consumption for multi-stop trips.
• EV filter on Google Travel helps find hotels with onsite EV charging.
• Basic explainer

Google Maps has new features to help electric car drivers find charging stations.

You can now see detailed descriptions of where chargers are located, like "Enter the underground parking lot and follow the signs toward the exit. Just before exiting, turn right."

You can also see nearby chargers on the in-car map, with information like real-time port availability and charging speed.

If you're planning a trip, Google Maps will suggest the best charging stops along the way, based on your battery's charge level.

Explore other styles:

Electric vehicle ownership is on the rise, which means more people are looking for ways to charge their car — whether they’re on the go or planning their drive. To help EV owners access more helpful information about charging stations, we’re rolling out new features for Google Maps and Search. With these updates you can easily find specific information about the location of EV chargers, plan charging stops for road trips and more.

Easily find exactly where charging stations are located

Navigating to charging stations and finding exactly where the chargers are located — like the right area of a multilevel parking lot — can be tricky. In the coming months, we’ll start showing AI-powered summaries in Google Maps that describe a charger’s specific location based on helpful information from user reviews, so you can find exactly where to go. For example, when you’re headed to a charging station you may see a detailed description, like “Enter the underground parking lot and follow the signs toward the exit. Just before exiting, turn right.”

This information is possible thanks to the millions of reviews posted every day in Maps, which help provide accurate and up-to-date information about places like charging stations. To help make these even more useful, reviews about chargers now prompt you for additional details about your experience, like what type of plug you used and how long you waited.

Find the best charger for you while you're on the go

We’re also thinking about other ways we can give people helpful EV charging information at a glance. For example, if you’re low on charge while on the road or you need to top off while running errands, soon you’ll be able to see nearby chargers on the in-car map, with information like real-time port availability and charging speed. This update will roll out globally, starting with vehicles with Google built-in the coming months.

See suggested charging stops, forecasted energy consumption and more when you plan a trip

In addition to showing you where chargers are at a glance, we want to help you take more complex trips easily. Last year we announced that Maps suggests the best charging locations for vehicles with Google built-in. This capability is expanding to multi-stop trips. So if you're planning a multi-stop summer road trip to several national parks, Maps will suggest the best charging stops along the way, based on your battery’s charge level. This feature will be available globally in the coming months for vehicles with Google built-in.

And if you’re planning overnight stays, we’ve got you covered, because the last thing you want to do after a long day of driving is hunt around for a charging station. With our new EV filter on google.com/travel you can find hotels on Search that offer onsite EV charging.

Whether you’re planning a summer road trip or looking for a last-minute charge, Maps and Search can help you find the charging information you need.

Related stories

We’re launching a new coalition to scale nature-based carbon removal

Our first offsite heat recovery project lands in Finland

8 new accessibility updates across Lookout, Google Maps and more

See the winners of our Single-Use Plastics Challenge

How we're supporting watershed health in southern Nevada

5 AI-powered tools to help you get outside more

Let’s stay in touch. Get the latest news from Google in your inbox.

Best EV Trip Planner Apps

Taking the anxiety out of a road trip with an ev route planner.

• 3/8/2024 (updated 4/2/2024 )

For most people, the best EV trip planner is likely already in your vehicle since the navigation systems on modern electric cars offer the ability to plan a route that factors in charger stops along the way. That's just one of several EV trip-planning options that can help map out your ideal road trip while assuaging potential range anxiety from an inconsistent charging infrastructure. Let's take a look at some of the best EV trip planners available, ranked in no particular order.

Factory navigation system

Google maps, a better route planner, ev navigation, am i ready for an ev.

• EV ownership works best if you can charge (240V) at home or at work This typically means a 240V home installation, but you could also have a similar setup at your office or other places your car is already parked for several hours each day. Don't expect a regular household outlet (120V) to suffice unless you've got a plug-in hybrid, in which case overnight charging at home is feasible.
• If you can’t charge at home, charging at a charging station could take at least 10x longer than at a gas station With public charging infrastructure still in its infancy, the user experience can be maddeningly inconsistent. Tesla owners tend to rave about the reliability and speed of the company's proprietary Supercharger stations, but rival DC fast options have thus far been plagued by technical issues and overcrowding. It's an evolving landscape and our best advice is to do your research on the available options for the EV you want to buy.
• Adding a 240V home charging system could cost up to $1,600 or more If your existing electrical service can handle the additional demands of EV charging, you may be able to add Level 2 charging at home for less than a grand, including installation. But your costs will multiply if you need to upgrade your electrical panel or add a dedicated circuit.

Your first option is to use the built-in navigation that comes with your car. Most Tesla vehicles will insert recommended charging points along your route, taking a lot of the worry out of the experience. Teslas can also precondition your battery when you get close to a Supercharger station, which speeds up charging time and is better for the health of your EV's battery.

But not all vehicles come equipped with navigation systems, and the ones that do may not necessarily be your best option. Trying to map out your route ahead of time is more easily done on your phone or computer than by sitting in the driver's seat of your car. Luckily, you've got options.

You don't need to download a new app to get an EV-friendly route. Go to settings inside the Google Maps app, then select "Electric vehicle settings" and you'll have the option to select the compatible plugs for your electric vehicle. When you search "electric vehicle chargers," they will be filtered by the plug you selected in settings. This makes Google Maps handy for finding a charger you can actually use, but it cannot currently add charging stops to your route. It also can't tell you whether or not the charger is available, occupied, or in working order.

Google and Apple Maps are great for route planning on the go. But if you want to plan out your stops ahead of time, you may want to consider A Better Route Planner ( ABRP ). It's available on either your desktop computer or as an application for your smartphone. It allows you to provide information on your vehicle, including how full its charge is when you depart, and to filter out plug types based on your vehicle. ABRP offers a lot of information, including what it expects your vehicle's battery level will be when you arrive at your destination and how much energy you need to add at charging stops.

Unfortunately, ABRP can be a little clunky to use — especially on your phone. If user-friendliness is your top priority, you might want to consider using another application.

The EV Navigation planner is also available on your phone as an application and as a desktop site. It allows you to input the make and model of your vehicle, its battery level, the number of passengers in the vehicle, and the minimum state of charge you'd like your vehicle to have at your destination. Using those inputs gives you a route complete with charging stops. The app will provide estimates for how long you'll need to charge at each stop, what state of charge you should be charging to, and detailed information on the station. The app can be a little confusing and finicky for first-time users, and it's not great as a navigation app. However, it's a great tool for planning.

Edmunds says

The features and functionality of these EV trip planners can change over time, so make sure to try several of them to see which one works best for your needs.

Electric vehicle stories

2024 jeep wagoneer s first look: jeep's first ev goes 300 miles, has massive wing, 2024 chevy equinox ev first drive: a winning recipe, here's how our long-term tesla model y held up after 4 years, u-drag race: rivian r1t vs. ford f-150 raptor r | quarter mile, handling & more, join edmunds.

Receive pricing updates, shopping tips & more!

How to Plan a road trip with an EV

Planning a road trip in your EV? Here are some tips on making the journey as smooth as you can.

Last updated: Oct 11, 2023 • 6 min read

Jump to Section:

• What to check before you set off
• How to find en route rapid chargers available on your journey
• What to expect at rapid charging stations
• Final tips for long range electric car road trips...

Related Guides:

Electric Vehicle Guides

Electric Vehicle Charging Etiquette

How to Optimise the Range of Your Electric Car

Before you set off on a long-distance journey in an electric vehicle, it's important to do a small amount of preparation. In this guide you'll find some key recommendations that will allow you to charge effectively en route.

• Check how far your EV can travel and the type of chargers it's compatible with.
• Plan your journey to include stops with en route chargers.
• Consider the fact that some chargers might not be immediately available, so factor in extra time to complete your journey.

Essential pre-departure checks for your electric vehicle

Vehicle inspection checklist.

• Charge your battery to 80% or more
• Make sure all lights work
• Test your brakes
• Ensure your tyres have the correct pressure for the expected load
• Pack your charging cable

Battery status and range assessment 

When going a long way, a bit of planning goes a longer way. Before you set off, it’s critical that you're aware of your battery status and range to make it from A to B:

• How far you can (realistically) travel on one charge and thus how many en route charges you require. Check out our  vehicle guides for more details on your specific EV.
• The type of en route rapid charger you can use ( CCS / CHAdeMO / Type 2 / Tesla Supercharger ).
• The power of en route rapid charge your car can accept (and thus how long you will be waiting during any charging pit stops).

If you are going to go further than your car can comfortably travel on one charge, you will need to use an en route charger. Read about  Rob Cooling's 600 mile EV road trip  around UK on our blog.

Tip: If you can avoid an en route charger and charge at a destination, particularly overnight, that is always a more convenient (and often cheaper) experience. Picking a hotel/long stay destination with a 7kW-22KW charger is always a great win.

Locating rapid charging stations along your route

Utilising your electric car’s built-in route planner.

Some car’s usefully host chargepoint data in their sat nav, and some will build charging stops into their route planners. Perhaps the most convenient system for EV route planning comes with Tesla vehicles, whose sat nav calculates drivers’ required charging stops and likely charging duration and routes them to their own dedicated “Supercharger” en route charging network.

Leveraging third-party mapping solutions

Outside the car’s sat nav, the following tools and apps are recommended. But only when you are stationary and not driving!

• Pod Point Network - First check the Pod Point App. If there’s a conveniently located and suitable Pod Point for your journey, then you know your car will be charged reliably.
• ZapMap - Crowd sourcing and direct data feeds have made ZapMap the UK’s number one universal charge point map. You can filter to the types of chargers and/or networks that you need.

And for those travelling into Europe.

• PlugShare - PlugShare is a community based tool that guides users to public charging locations throughout Europe (and further afield). Driver participation means there are reviews and photos of thousands of chargepoints.
• Chargemap - Chargemap offers an alternative to Plugshare. Again, drivers can contribute to enhance Chargemap’s information via their mobile app, by adding pictures, comments, charging stations and even edit useful information.

Tip: We recommend not using the very last possible rapid charger; use the one before the penultimate charger en route. Flying by the seat of your pants may briefly feel thrilling, but if that charger fails, or there’s a queue, or you end up using more power than expected (e.g. uphill), then the waiting around is in no way a thrilling experience!

What to anticipate at rapid charging stations

Understanding different access methods.

The common methods include apps, contactless card readers, RFID cards and some just plug and play (Tesla Superchargers). For details on these, please see our guide on  public charging access methods .

Evaluating charger availability

When choosing an en route rapid charging location, you should consider the likelihood that it is available when you arrive. Some rapid chargers show their live status, but ultimately this is liable to change while you are driving to the site, which means the best bet is to pick sites with numerous chargers (particularly if you can see there are several available at that time).

This facet of EV motoring is starting to improve, but many sites only have 1 or 2 chargers, so there is a chance that you have an occasional wait.

Deciphering charging speed and expected waiting time

How fast your car rapid charges depends on how much power the chargers can offer and how much power your car can accept - but also where you are in the state of charge (and a little on the ambient temperature). Unlike a 7kW charger which almost exclusively charges at 7kW regardless of how full your battery is, electric cars manage their rapid charge rate to protect the battery.

Different cars’ rapid charging profiles vary, but an approximate typical profile is shown below. This illustrates that it's quickest to charge from 20% to 80%, but  charging to 100% can take a long time.

Tip: We recommend rapid charging from something like ~20% to ~80% full to minimise the time spent at the charger. If you arrive almost empty the charge rate will take a little time to “warm up”, while the last few kWhs typically take longer to fill than it’s worth waiting for vs heading for the next charging opportunity.

Essential tips and insights for long range EV road trips

Ultimately long journeys in electric cars are similar to long road trips in conventional cars, so the following tips are valid for all.

• Perform important vehicle checks before you set off 
• Take regular breaks (you’ll soon notice how well this fits with en route charging!)
• Stop when you are tired
• Take snacks and drinks (whilst being careful to ensure they do not unduly distract the driver)
• It is better to get there late than in a damaged car/not at all
• Stay zen, the traffic does not improve no matter how angry you get
• Share this guide

EV Charging

Ev charging stations.

• electric vehicle charging

Google Maps enhances EV experience with ‘very fast’ charging filter, charging stop suggestions, and more

Google is making it easier for electric vehicle drivers to get around with new Maps features like a “very fast charging” filter, improved EV charging stop suggestions, and more.

Google Maps update makes EV driving even easier

In 2021, Google Maps began rolling out features to help EV drivers plan a trip with stress-free routes and charging stop recommendations, using newly developed routing algorithms to search and filter for the most convenient charging stations.

The search giant took it a step further by offering more efficient and eco-friendly route planning rather than just showing the typical shortest travel time. The feature was expanded to include electric vehicles in July 2022, allowing users to find the most energy-efficient routes.

To make it even easier for EV drivers to get around, Google Maps got another big update in November to show EV fast-charging options with 50kW or higher chargers.

After seeing a more than 60% increase in EV charging stations compared to last year, Google Maps is updating its services once again, making it almost effortless to get around in an electric vehicle.

• Adding charging stops to shorter trips – Maps will now suggest the best stop based on factors like current traffic, the vehicle’s charge level, and energy consumption.
• Very fast charging stations – A new filter allows EV drivers to search and locate 150kW or higher fast charge stations.
• Charging stations in results – Google will now show you when the places you are searching have on-site charging stations, such as grocery stores.

The new Google Map features will be available globally in the coming months to electric vehicles with Google built in, such as Polestar , Volvo , GM brands, Renault, Honda, and soon, Ford .

Electrek’s Take

Because they have access to an abundance of consumer search data, Google sees the direction in which the auto industry is headed.

Even though EV charging is primarily done at home, having the convenience of simply plugging in your destination and having Google Maps do the rest can give drivers peace of mind on road trips or if they primarily charge in public.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Peter Johnson is covering the auto industry’s step-by-step transformation to electric vehicles. He is an experienced investor, financial writer, and EV enthusiast. His enthusiasm for electric vehicles, primarily Tesla, is a significant reason he pursued a career in investments. If he isn’t telling you about his latest 10K findings, you can find him enjoying the outdoors or exercising

Manage push notifications

Green Car Future

The future's here, and it's shaping up to be a wild ride!

Electrify America and Trip Planning: How To Travel Effectively

Is there anything more American than an annual road trip? The fact is that to get from A to B by car in much of America means a bit of a road trip compared to smaller countries like the UK. When you’re preparing to undertake a road trip in an electric car, trip planning becomes more important than ever.

You always have to plan, of course, preparing enough food and water, knowing where you can stop and sleep overnight if need be, and also places to make pit-stops on the way to recharge yourself. If you’re driving an electric car, these become literal recharging stops, and they need very careful planning. For that, a lot of people already rely on the Electrify America app, but while it’s perhaps one of the best-known EV charge point apps out there, it has been dismissed by some as inadequate for proper road trip planning.

In today’s blog, we’ll be assessing the functions of Electrify America, as well as its shortcomings, and what other options are on offer for those who want something more suited to their own EV.

Background: About Electrify America

Electrify America is a large and growing network of public DC fast chargers and level 2 charging stations, owned and operated by Volkswagen. Despite its ownership, you by no means have to own a Volkswagen ID.4 in order to gain access! It’s open to all EVs, but Tesla owners will have to be ready to use their adapters.

At the time of writing, and according to the Electrify America website , the organization operates 791 stations, running 3,435 fast chargers, as well as another 116 level 2 chargers. Among the fast chargers are CCS and CCS-CHAdeMO connectors. Most stations are concentrated in the northeast, Florida, and California, with other stations generally following major highway routes across the midwest, southwest, and Pacific northwest. 

The Electrify America App: A Review

Next, let’s take a look at the Electrify America app itself. It’s free to download and available on both Android and iOS platforms. No payment method is required when creating an account, just your first and last name. But you will need to add a card as a payment method when you start to use it for charging. It does offer some paid/premium features, too, which we will cover in more detail in sections below.

Main Functions

Below is a summary of the main features one can find within the app:

• Premium plans with discounts on charging, contactless payment ability, and more
• Live, up-to-date charging locations nearby with availability
• Notifications when charging points become available
• Charge tracking from your smartphone after the process begins
• Home charger management with preferred charge time management 
• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration

Strong Points

The chief advantage of Electrify America over other apps is in its ability to give strong amounts of detail when it comes to nearby chargers. Unlike apps such as Google Maps, which will tell you locations of chargers, Electrify America gives you a lot more about their status, exact location within certain premises, and condition.

In addition, you can get the majority of the key features without having to subscribe to any payment plans. Even if you do opt for a payment plan, they start at just $4.00 a month (Pass+). You might wonder about spending monthly premiums when you’re paying for charging services anyway, but a Pass+ membership actually gives you up to 25 percent discount, which makes it very worthwhile for regular chargers.

Finally, being able to easily integrate it with your Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functions also makes life a lot easier for users, meaning you don’t have to be looking at your smartphone the whole time and get the information safely while on the road.

Weak Points

One of the chief criticisms leveled against Electrify America is that while it presents itself as a uniquely “all-in-one” app, its features are neither unique nor all-encompassing as one might hope. For one thing, it lacks a useful trip planning feature for longer journeys, which in a country like America seems like a pretty big omission. Fans of the app defend it by pointing out that it is built primarily for local use only, and not for road trippers, but with an engaging, wide-reaching name like “Electrify America,” why not consider America more widely, including road trippers?

Furthermore, those who don’t use the app and instead favor their own vehicle app platform such as the Ford Pass app, for example, have found that Electrify America locations are frequently not added in time, leaving key gaps in their own maps and planners. Whether this is entirely down to Electrify America or whether it’s more Ford’s fault isn’t entirely clear, but it all seems to contribute to the fact that Electrify America doesn’t feature in virtually any list of “Best Apps for Route Planning.”

Payment options are affordable with Electrify America, but you are forced to pay the fee if you want to access the best features. This might be expected for some, but when you’re already paying for the fundamental service being offered by them, it seems a little unfair not to have more premium features available for free.

What Other Journey Planning EV Apps Are Available?

Typically topping the list of recommended journey planning apps is Tesla’s own app that its owners use every day. The main advantage of Tesla is its own massive Supercharger network, currently offering some 1,500 locations across all 50 states and even 2 overseas territories. While superchargers are concentrated in similar locations to Electrify America stations, they are still more common, and are even now starting to roll out plans to allow non-Tesla cars to use them.

The journey planning feature on the app allows you to plot every supercharger station you’ll need to stop at along the way and how to break up the journey. It also features Tesla’s other great in-house features like instant calls for roadside assistance.

The best thing about the EV Hotels app is that it’s focused on accommodation spots rather than just charging stations. Knowing where Tesla Superchargers are is great, but what this app does is point to hotels and other accommodations that come with their very own charging points. This means you can plan your trip killing two birds with one stone at every major stop — where to charge overnight, and where to sleep.

A Better Route Planner (ABRP)

An interesting quirk about ABRP is that it lets you program in your car make and model, which is then taken into account for the journey ahead, using more precise data. If you’re using it in your Tesla, you can even share your drive data with it to improve its accuracy even further. It also tells you which routes to avoid, and keeps you informed on traffic, road, and weather conditions ahead.

Google Maps

Google Maps is a great choice chiefly because of how familiar most people are with the system already, having been using Google Maps in some form or another for many years. The main drawback with Google Maps is that while it does have a route planning feature that Electrify America lacks, it also lacks the detail that Electrify America offers. Having said that, it’s easy to use, familiar, and requires no payments at all for the service of route planning or locating charging stations.

General Tips for Long-Distance EV Road Trips

Let’s say you are planning for a long-distance road trip in your electric car, Tesla or otherwise. What are some useful tips that can help you on your way?

We’ve pretty much covered this in the above points, but it’s good to emphasize the importance of planning when you’re taking an electric car on an extended road trip. The thing is, the way things are currently, the country just can’t cater to EVs in the same way that it can to regular gasoline cars. Not only do gasoline cars typically have a range advantage, but they have an extreme flexibility advantage, too, given that there are gas stations large and small to be found all over the place.

EV drivers will have to stick more to their plans, and probably deviate a lot less. Mistakes in planning could easily lead to your becoming stranded, and that’s no fun. So, however experienced you are in road trip planning, if it’s your first time doing it in an EV, then spend some extra time and attention on it.

Make Contingency Plans

Following on from the previous point, it’s also critical that you make more detailed backup plans for if and when things go wrong. Keep estimates on range conservative, and always plan to stop and charge earlier than you would need to according to those range numbers. Have a “plan B” for every eventuality. It takes more planning, but until the infrastructure is really there for EVs, it’s necessary to play on the side of caution.

Minimize Energy Waste

During your road trip, try not to burn up too much juice through things like bad driving habits. Being too aggressive with the throttle and brake, for example, is an excellent way to drain the battery too quickly. Drive at steady speeds, and don’t overtax the battery.

Charge to Full Before Departure

Charging to full is something that most EV experts tell you not to do, but when getting ready to set off on a long road trip, it is one of the times when you are actually supposed to charge to full. Equally, you shouldn’t let the battery completely deplete while out on the road. It’s bad for the battery chemistry to combine full charging and full discharge, so try to hit your next recharge stop when you get to about 20 percent or below, and before you hit 10 percent.

Don’t Overload the Car

Finally, as another measure to save energy, don’t overload the car with too much gear. It’s a road trip, we understand, so there’s bound to be supplies aplenty, but try not to pack too much superfluous gear. Electric cars are heavy enough without all your useless gear weighing down even more and taxing the battery even further.

Happy road tripping! Plan well and all good things will come to you!

1 thought on “Electrify America and Trip Planning: How To Travel Effectively”

I’ve noticed that some of the charge station information through EV Go, Charge Point and Google Maps is inaccurate. I’ll finally find a station only to discover that it is inaccessible or not functional. Some of the Electrify America Stations do not work with any of my credit cards and I’m grappling with their heavy charge cords while trying different chargers and trying to talk to them on the phone. To their credit, they have charged me for free after a couple frustrating experiences.

Leave a comment Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• Toll Calculator
• Toll API pricing
• Toll calculator pricing
• Toll API - Get started
• Toll API docs
• Get API key

EV Trip Planner -‌  Charging Stations, Routes and Tolls

Looking for EV routing on Google Maps? Use the EV Trip Planner! See all the EV charging stations and superchargers on map with details – brand, connector type, level, cost, power feed, access time and contact. Also see toll plazas, tags – E-ZPass, SunPass, FasTrak, TxTag -l discounts. Travel on the cheapest or fastest routes to your destination. For Tesla, Chevy Bolt, Ford Mustang Mach-E, Nissan Leaf etc. across the US and Canada toll roads, turnpikes, expressways, express lanes, highways, bridges, and tunnels.

Business? Integrate Toll API for pre-trip, on-trip and post-trip toll and route information.

Still not convinced? Just enter your origin, destination, Submit and see tolls in seconds. Fill the optional fields - mileage, toll tags etc. - to get more accurate results.

Select Vehicle Type

Departure Time

Invalid Date

• Charging stations on map
• Number of connectors
• Charging point’s brand
• Connector type
• Cost of charging
• Power feed type
• Access time & contact
• Cheapest and Fastest routes
• Reorder stops (Traveling salesman problem)
• Toll plaza on map
• Toll rate for each plaza

Us Toll Guide

• How do tolls work in the USA
• Which states do not have toll roads?
• Can I pay US tolls with a credit card?
• How do you pay tolls in USA?
• Which toll passes/ toll tags work in all states?
• Is E-ZPass good in all states?

Other toll calculators

US Toll Calculator

new-york Toll Calculator

california Toll Calculator

florida Toll Calculator

texas Toll Calculator

kansas Toll Calculator

oklahoma Toll Calculator

baja-california Toll Calculator

nevada Toll Calculator

alaska Toll Calculator

USA Toll Calculator

canada Toll Calculator

méxico Toll Calculator

UK Toll Calculator

germany Toll Calculator

russia Toll Calculator

india Toll Calculator

australia Toll Calculator

peru Toll Calculator

New-zealand Toll Calculator

Europe Toll Calculator

france Toll Calculator

US Toll Calculator — See Toll Plaza Locations, Toll Rates, Toll Tags, and more

Try the TollGuru Toll Calculator

Learn more about payment methods

Check which states have toll booths

5 tips to avoid getting stranded on an EV road trip this summer

With a little planning, you can pull off a summer road trip in an EV without stressing about battery range or finding a charger.

The summer road trip season is here, and — with some careful planning — drivers of electric vehicles don’t have to be left behind.

Road trips are one of the main obstacles for Americans considering buying an EV. Drivers worry about electric cars’ battery range and the stress of finding a charger, according to a Washington Post-University of Maryland poll .

“Road trips occupy so much space in the mind of a prospective EV purchaser because … people really don’t want to get stuck somewhere,” said Albert Gore, executive director of the Zero Emission Transportation Association, an industry group that promotes EVs. “The good news is, there’s a lot more charging out there than people generally realize.”

If you’re an EV driver planning a road trip this summer, Gore says it’ll probably be easier than you think — but he has some advice on how to make the trip go as smoothly as possible.

Plan your route around charging

Many EV models now come with built-in navigation systems that can help you find a charging station along the road on the fly. But for the most stress-free trip, it pays to plan your charging stops ahead of time.

While U.S. charging infrastructure has been growing steadily, the number of EVs on the road has been growing even faster. That means there’s more competition than ever for charging ports, so you won’t always be able to plug in at the first charging station you see.

There are plenty of apps that can help you find chargers along your planned route and keep you updated with real-time information about how many ports are available as you approach. You might try PlugShare, ChargePoint, EVgo or Google Maps .

It helps to build in a buffer and a backup plan, according to Gore. Don’t plan a charging stop at the absolute limit of your car’s range — have a Plan A that you can comfortably reach, and a Plan B farther down the road just in case the first charger is full or not working.

Make the most of charging stops

If you plan ahead, you can time your charging stops to line up with meals, bathroom breaks or scenic stops so that you’re not just waiting around while your battery fills up.

Gore says he’s taken electric vehicles on trips up and down Interstate 95, where there are often fast chargers at service plazas that can recharge most of his battery in less than half an hour. “I usually go in and get a bite to eat, use the restroom, grab a cup of coffee and by the time I come back to my car it’s been 20 minutes and I’m ready to get on the road,” he said.

That approach only works with direct current fast chargers, not level 1 or level 2 chargers that would take several hours to fill a battery.

There are also charging spots next to parks and hiking trails, including 140 chargers in and around U.S. national parks , meaning that you could take a break to stretch your legs or let your kids run around while your car charges.

Stay in hotels that have EV chargers

If you’re within 200 or 300 miles of the place you’ll be staying for the night, you may not have to stop to charge at all. Charging apps such as PlugShare and hotel booking websites including Expedia can help you find hotels with chargers, so you can just leave your car plugged in overnight and wake up to a full battery.

“That’s the best way to do it,” said Gore. “I get there in one shot, park, and when it’s time to go I have a full battery.”

Check the weather forecast

Extreme temperatures can seriously limit EV range. In cold weather, batteries lose their efficiency and drivers tend to crank up the heat, a combination that can cut range 41 percent in temperatures below 20 degrees, according to AAA. Hot weather can also limit range , although not as much, according to Kelley Blue Book. Both extremes can slow down charging.

Check the weather forecast before you leave to see if extreme temperatures might affect your trip. If it’s hot or cold out, you should “precondition” your battery before charging, a process that warms or cools the battery to its ideal temperature range and helps it charge faster and last longer. Depending on your car, you may be able to do this manually, or the car may take care of it automatically if you plug a charging station into the built-in navigation system.

Drive efficiently

You can eke out a few more miles of range by driving more efficiently. That doesn’t mean making major changes to the way you drive, according to Gore. It could be as simple as using cruise control to hold a steady speed, taking advantage of regenerative breaking, or putting your car in “eco mode,” which will stretch battery life by limiting acceleration and climate control.

“If you don’t need to absolutely torch anybody off the line at a stoplight, then eco mode will probably not be noticeable to you,” said Gore.

Take control of your money! Save, budget and navigate your finances easier with AARP Money Map.

AARP daily Crossword Puzzle

Hotels with AARP discounts

Life Insurance

AARP Dental Insurance Plans

AARP MEMBERSHIP — Limited Time Offer-Memorial Day Sale

Join AARP for just $9 per year with a 5-year membership. Join now and get a FREE Gift! Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine.

• right_container

Work & Jobs

Social Security

AARP en Español

• Membership & Benefits
• AARP Rewards
• AARP Rewards %{points}%

Conditions & Treatments

Drugs & Supplements

Health Care & Coverage

Health Benefits

Staying Fit

Your Personalized Guide to Fitness

Get Happier

Creating Social Connections

Brain Health Resources

Tools and Explainers on Brain Health

Your Health

8 Major Health Risks for People 50+

Scams & Fraud

Personal Finance

Money Benefits

View and Report Scams in Your Area

AARP Foundation Tax-Aide

Free Tax Preparation Assistance

AARP Money Map

Get Your Finances Back on Track

How to Protect What You Collect

Small Business

Age Discrimination

Flexible Work

Freelance Jobs You Can Do From Home

AARP Skills Builder

Online Courses to Boost Your Career

31 Great Ways to Boost Your Career

ON-DEMAND WEBINARS

Tips to Enhance Your Job Search

Get More out of Your Benefits

When to Start Taking Social Security

10 Top Social Security FAQs

Social Security Benefits Calculator

Medicare Made Easy

Original vs. Medicare Advantage

Enrollment Guide

Step-by-Step Tool for First-Timers

Prescription Drugs

9 Biggest Changes Under New Rx Law

Medicare FAQs

Quick Answers to Your Top Questions

Care at Home

Financial & Legal

Life Balance

LONG-TERM CARE

​Understanding Basics of LTC Insurance​

State Guides

Assistance and Services in Your Area

Prepare to Care Guides

How to Develop a Caregiving Plan

End of Life

How to Cope With Grief, Loss

Recently Played

Word & Trivia

Atari® & Retro

Members Only

Staying Sharp

Mobile Apps

More About Games

Right Again! Trivia

Right Again! Trivia – Sports

Atari® Video Games

Throwback Thursday Crossword

Travel Tips

Vacation Ideas

Destinations

Travel Benefits

Outdoor Vacation Ideas

Camping Vacations

Plan Ahead for Summer Travel

AARP National Park Guide

Discover Canyonlands National Park

History & Culture

8 Amazing American Pilgrimages

Entertainment & Style

Family & Relationships

Personal Tech

Home & Living

Celebrities

Beauty & Style

Movies for Grownups

Summer Movie Preview

Jon Bon Jovi’s Long Journey Back

Looking Back

50 World Changers Turning 50

Sex & Dating

Spice Up Your Love Life

Friends & Family

How to Host a Fabulous Dessert Party

Home Technology

Caregiver’s Guide to Smart Home Tech

Virtual Community Center

Join Free Tech Help Events

Create a Hygge Haven

Soups to Comfort Your Soul

AARP Solves 25 of Your Problems

Driver Safety

Maintenance & Safety

Trends & Technology

AARP Smart Guide

How to Clean Your Car

We Need To Talk

Assess Your Loved One's Driving Skills

AARP Smart Driver Course

Building Resilience in Difficult Times

Tips for Finding Your Calm

Weight Loss After 50 Challenge

Cautionary Tales of Today's Biggest Scams

7 Top Podcasts for Armchair Travelers

Jean Chatzky: ‘Closing the Savings Gap’

Quick Digest of Today's Top News

AARP Top Tips for Navigating Life

Get Moving With Our Workout Series

You are now leaving AARP.org and going to a website that is not operated by AARP. A different privacy policy and terms of service will apply.

Go to Series Main Page

4 EV-Friendly Road Trips for Summer

These byways offer ample charging stations to keep range anxiety at bay.

Gigi Ragland,

Road-tripping season is upon us. Every summer, the call of the open road beckons to millions of Americans. This is especially true for older adults. A recent  AARP report  found that 63 percent of travelers 50-plus are planning a road trip this year.

If you drive — or want to drive — an  electric vehicle (EV) , the good news is that roadways have become increasingly accommodating to EVs.

AARP Membership — $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal

Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine.

Since inception, EV drivers planning a road trip have been concerned about the number of available charging stations, also known as range anxiety. But the EV charging infrastructure is improving. Travel destinations such as hotels and restaurants are adding EV charging stations across the U.S. and the Department of Transportation plans to build nearly 500,000 charging stations by 2030. 

In addition to the increase in charging stations, improvements in battery technology have boosted EV range. For example, EVs could travel 73 miles per charge in 2011. Today, an EV gets about 270 miles per charge. 

This summer, EV drivers may want to consider taking a road trip on one of America’s Byways. Charging stations are available along  national scenic byways  and All-American Roads across the country. These routes thread through small town communities and  historic sites  and showcase the heritage and beauty of the land.

To keep any range anxiety in check, a number of smartphone apps can help you pinpoint charging stations, including PlugShare, ChargeFinder, ChargeHub and A Better Routeplanner.

Here are four EV-friendly scenic byways and places to stay where you can charge your car overnight.

ARTICLE CONTINUES AFTER ADVERTISEMENT

San Luis Obispo North Coast Byway, California

All-American Road (57 miles)

California leads the nation in the number of public EV charging stations, which makes road-tripping easy. You’ll find most EV charging stations spaced no more than 60 miles apart along the route.

Holland America Line

Up to $200 onboard credit on select cruises

Although the distance might seem short, you’ll want to spend several days taking in the uncrowded beaches, historic landmarks and scenic beauty along this portion of the Pacific Ocean. Stroll the easy coastal trails for  ocean views  at Estero Bluffs State Park. Look for sea otters on a kayak tour in Morro Bay. Spend an afternoon exploring the Hearst Castle in San Simeon and spot elephant seals at the viewing area 4.5 miles north of the castle. Take a docent-led tour of 19th-century historic Point San Luis Lighthouse. 

Stay:  The Sea Otter Inn in Cambria is near Hearst Castle and overlooks Moonstone Beach. Also consider Hotel Avisa in Morro Bay and Avila Lighthouse Suites in Avila Beach. 

The Natchez Trace Parkway, Tennessee, Alabama and Mississippi

National Scenic Byway (444 miles)

The Trace is a great byway for EV road trips for two main reasons: Many of the chargers are free, and some chargers are level 3 (the maximum speed). Also, you’ll find charging stations within the 20-plus communities along the route.

The centuries-old historic drive runs from the southern Appalachian foothills of Tennessee to the lower Mississippi River with plenty of gorgeous terrain and historic sites to see in between. View  Civil War  battlefields in each state. Visit Americana Music Triangle hot spots near Muscle Shoals, Alabama. See the traditional homelands of the Natchez, Choctaw and Chickasaw American Indian nations. You can see more than 350 archaeological sites and 22 burial and ceremonial mounds along the parkway. 

Stay:  Recharge in luxury at the Hermitage Hotel in Nashville. Also consider the Marriott Shoals Hotel & Spa in Florence, Alabama, and the Hilton Garden Inn Tupelo in Mississippi — the town where  Elvis Presley  was born. 

Stevens Pass Greenway, Washington

National Scenic Byway (90 miles) 

In 2011, Stevens Pass Greenway became the first EV-friendly scenic byway in the country. Charging stations are spaced along major destinations on the route near the coastal communities of  Puget Sound  and past the peak of Stevens Pass.

The Great Northern Railway route offers stunning views of the Cascade Mountains. It traces the rail line from ocean beaches, leads up and over one of the  Cascades’  highest mountain passes and then descends through central Washington orchards and into the valley where the Columbia and Wenatchee rivers meet. Peruse antiques in Snohomish. Hike the easy 2.8-mile trail (one way) in old growth forest to glimpse the 265-foot waterfall at Wallace Falls State Park. Experience railroad history with a stroll on the 3-mile Martin Trail, a segment of the Iron Goat Trail. The wide-packed, dirt-and-gravel loop passes by tunnels, wooden bridges and small creeks and offers interpretive signs that tell the rail story along the way. As you near the end of the byway at Wenatchee, you’ll see why it’s the self-proclaimed “Apple Capital of the World.”

Stay:  Stevens Pass Mountain Ski Resort allows you to charge at the highest point on the route while enjoying peak views. Also consider Hotel Indigo  Seattle  Everett Waterfront and the Obertal Inn in Leavenworth.

Top of the Rockies, Colorado

National Scenic Byway (115 miles)

The state of  Colorado  has a goal to electrify all of its 26 scenic byways. As of February 2024, there are 17 EV-friendly scenic byways, including the Top of the Rockies National Scenic Byway. That means dual-port DC (direct current) fast chargers must be available every 100 miles of a route; if a route is less than 100 miles, a dual-port DC fast charger must be available within 15 miles of the start or end of the byway.

You can start the route in Aspen, drive toward the historic ghost town of Independence Pass and then head toward Leadville, a 19th-century silver mining town and National Historic Landmark District. It’s possible to drive this route in a day but this is high mountain driving where the route is surrounded by mountain peaks of up to 14,000 feet. You’ll cross the Continental Divide three times and zigzag up a few of the highest mountain passes in the nation. The byway is rich with silver mining lore and small towns. Walk around the remaining buildings and read interpretive signs to learn about the history. As you cross Tennessee Pass, consider a stop to see Camp Hale-Continental Divide National Monument. The rugged terrain of the area was the training ground for the 10th Mountain Division soldiers, the Army’s only mountain infantry division during World War II.

Stay:  Historic Hotel Jerome in Aspen opened during the silver boom of the 1880s. Also consider cabins or  camping  at Sugar Loafin’ Campground in Leadville and the boutique Hotel Minturn in the town of Minturn. (Note: The nearest charging station may be at Town Hall.)

Gigi Ragland is a Colorado–based travel and food writer whose work has appeared in  National Geographic Traveler, Hemispheres, Sierra, AFAR, American Cowgirl  and many other publications.  

Discover AARP Members Only Access

Already a Member? Login

MORE FROM AARP

7 Must-See Stops Along Florida's Route A1A

Great spots to sightsee, relax, and immerse yourself in nature and history along this picturesque road

Best Budget Tips for Your Next Road Trip

AARP Smart Guide to Cleaning Your Car

45 tips to properly clean your vehicle — inside and out — like a pro

Or Call: 1-800-675-4318

Enter a valid from location

Enter a valid to location

Enter a valid departing date

Enter a valid returning date

Age of children:

Child under 2 must either sit in laps or in seats:

+ Add Another Flight

Enter a valid destination location

Enter a valid checking in date

Enter a valid checking out date

Occupants of Room

Occupants of Room 1:

Occupants of Room 2:

Occupants of Room 3:

Occupants of Room 4:

Occupants of Room 5:

Occupants of Room 6:

Occupants of Room 7:

Occupants of Room 8:

Enter a valid date

You didn't specify child's age

There are children in room 1 without an adult

You didn't specify child's age for room 1

There are children in room 2 without an adult

You didn't specify child's age in room 2

There are children in room 3 without an adult

You didn't specify child's age in room 3

There are children in room 4 without an adult

You didn't specify child's age in room 4

There are children in room 5 without an adult

You didn't specify child's age in room 5

You have more than 6 people total

Please select a trip duration less than 28 days

There must be at least 1 traveler (age 12+) for each infant in a lap

Enter a valid From location

Enter a valid start date

Enter a valid drop location

Enter a valid drop off date

Select a valid to location

Select a month

Enter a valid going to location

Enter a valid from date

Enter a valid to date

AARP Value & Member Benefits

HX: Hurtigruten Expeditions

5% off cruise fares and a €100 per person onboard credit

AARP Vacation Ideas

Ideas for every type of trip – from cruises to road trips

AARP Travel Center Powered by Expedia: Car Rentals

Up to 30% off select car rentals

AARP® Staying Sharp®

Activities, recipes, challenges and more with full access to AARP Staying Sharp®

SAVE MONEY WITH THESE LIMITED-TIME OFFERS

17 Must-Know Tips for the Perfect EV Road Trip

Posted: June 2, 2024 | Last updated: June 2, 2024

Whether you go solo, with friends, or with family, road trips are a rite of passage in the U.S. 

But going in a vehicle powered by a gas or diesel engine is one thing. Bypassing the internal combustion engine car and hitting the open road in an electric vehicle (EV) is another thing entirely.

If you have joined or plan to join the EV revolution and are in a road-tripping frame of mind, here are 17 things to consider before going on a road trip in a fully electric vehicle.

Use a Road-Trip Worthy EV

An EV offering enough range between charges is ideal. If you have something like a Mini Cooper SE that offers around 150 miles of range, that might make for a frustrating road trip. A Mazda MX-30 is a bigger vehicle, but its 114 miles of range is even more underwhelming. 

You need an EV offering a good range and reasonable charging times to make a road trip fun.

Consider the Comfort

Not all EVs are road-tripping vehicles. You’ll want to consider comfort for the driver and the passengers. If you have a three-row SUV or crossover EV, determine if there’s enough space for everyone before loading up people, pets, and things.

Plan Your Route Before Heading Out

When traveling in an EV, you’ll want to know the destination and the route to get to the destination. That sounds obvious enough. However, EV charging infrastructure is still nowhere close rivaling infrastructure for fueling cars with gas and diesel. 

It’s getting better, but it’s not there yet. So, you need to be more prepared by planning everything before you start your trip.

Route planning will help you arrange stops to recharge as needed so you can be on your way as quickly as possible. Fortunately, tons of apps are available to help with planning trips.

Drive in a Way That Maximizes Range

One way to increase your range between charges is to adjust how you drive.

Many EVs have multiple driving modes. If yours has an eco mode, use it. And access regenerative braking, if applicable, to slow down the EV without using the brake pedal. And if you don’t have to blast the AC or heater, leave it off to help squeeze out a little more range.

Plan Breaks Around Charging

According to one source, you should stop for at least 15 minutes every two hours on a road trip. It’s also a good idea to stop at least 45 minutes per 4.5 hours of driving. 

You can maximize your charging times by finding locations where you can do other things — like go to the restroom, walk your dog, and get something to eat — while your EV tops up. 

Have a Backup Plan

It’s surprisingly common for EV drivers to arrive at charging stations only to find that some or most of the chargers are out of commission. Don’t let such a scenario ruin your road trip. One solution is to choose charging locations close to other charging locations — just in case. 

Find Accommodations Offering Charging Options

If your road trip includes hotel stays, find accommodations offering EV charging stations. Some hotels offer complimentary charging, while others charge for this convenience. Whatever the arrangement, charging your EV at a hotel is a bonus.

Avoid Routes Offering Limited Charging Options

You’ll have a better road-tripping experience if your routes offer ample charging options. Of course, that’s not always possible. With that said, beware of taking an EV on a rural adventure in the middle of nowhere unless you have enough range and charging options. 

Learn How to Use Charging Stations Properly

While this might seem obvious, you need to know how to use the various charging stations you’ll encounter on your road trip. They’re not all the same.

You don’t want your first time at a specific charging station network to be while on a road trip. But that could be the case if you usually charge at home and rarely need a public charging station. Depending on the network, you may need to download an app, enter payment information, and type in other details. Ensure you know what to expect ahead of your road trip.

Unpack Unnecessary Items

Carrying too much in your EV can negatively impact range. So, while you’ll want to take everything you need for a fun trip, leave anything you don’t need at home. That’ll help get as much range as possible. It can make a big difference if you’re on a long-distance road trip.

Beware of Trailers

Did you know that towing a trailer can reduce an EV’s range by up to 50%? That’s enough reason to think long and hard before towing a trailer on a road trip. At the very least, you’ll want to use an EV with enough range and towing capacity to make road-tripping feasible.

Factor Weather Conditions into the Equation

The weather can do a number on an EV battery. You’ll want to be careful about road-tripping during the cold weather months or the hot weather months. If you can avoid road trips during times of the year when it’s extremely hot or cold, that’s your best bet.

Ensure Backup Drivers Are Comfortable Driving EVs

Even if you’ll be doing most of the driving, you should have alternate drivers on a long road trip. But it’s vital that the other drivers feel comfortable using an EV. Don’t assume they will be. All alternate drivers should be familiar with your EV.

Opt for Shorter Over Longer Charging Sessions

Unless you need a 100% charge for a certain stretch of your trip, choose shorter rather than longer charging sessions. Depending on the EV, it can take just as long to get from 0 to 80% as it does to get from 80% to 100%. So, charging your EV for 20 minutes or so every couple of hours can result in a faster trip overall than filling up to full capacity at every stop. 

Practice Proper EV Etiquette

Some people practice poor EV etiquette — and it’s often unintentional. But it won’t hurt to brush up on yours before pulling out of the driveway for a road trip.

For instance, if you’re eating lunch in a restaurant or doing some shopping while your EV is charging, don’t leave it plugged in after it’s done charging. Set up your phone to get notifications so you’re aware when your charging session is over — and then move your EV so that someone else can charge their EV.

Be Wary About Range

While technology is getting better at predicting ranges EVs can travel, you should still be conservative and build in a buffer just in case. You’ll stay out of trouble that way. You don’t want your road trip to be memorable for all the wrong reasons — so be mindful of ranges.

Tire Size Matters

When it comes to getting as much range as possible out of your EV, tire size matters. It might not be a huge factor, but every mile of extra range will help on your road trip. You’ll usually do better if you go with a smaller over a larger tire size, so consider tire size when road-tripping.

Remember to Stop and Smell the Roses

When road-tripping in an EV, you have no choice but to stop and smell the roses. You’ll have to stop and charge, and that takes time. But if you plan everything right, it should be fun.

If you remember these tips, your EV can help you enjoy the rite of passage that road trips have become.

More From SewCanShe

• 16 Hidden Costs of Owning an EV That Automakers Won’t Tell You

• 14 Reasons You’ll Probably Upgrade to an EV if You Buy a Plug-in Hybrid
• 20 Questions You Have About Electric Cars but Are Too Shy to Ask

• 16 Signs You’re Not Ready to Join the EV Revolution Just Yet

More for You

Stephen Hawking once gave a simple answer as to whether there was a God

This Woman Withdrew From the Interview Process After Being Told She Was the Strongest Candidate. The Reasons Are Instructive for Any Hiring Manager

The best war movies of all time, based on ratings—and no, #1 is not 'Apocalypse Now'

The Wendy's Chili Fact You Need To Know Before Ordering

What It's Like To Live In A Pallet Home

Woman Transforms Her Home's Exterior After Being Told Not To Paint It White

I'm a 57-year-old Woman and People Think I'm in my 30's - Here's My Tips to Aging Gracefully

Looming over Trump’s conviction: Reversal by the ‘13th juror’

Ask Amy: Sharing in-law unit causes problems

‘It’s already highway robbery.’ Why people don’t wait to claim Social Security and what experts say

10 things you should get rid of to create a more peaceful space, according to interior designers

The Secret Weapon Against Rust On Your Metal Tools Is Hiding In Your Laundry Room

'Big Bang Theory' Fans Congratulate Kaley Cuoco as She Announces Career Milestone

Insiders predict this possible Trump VP pick poses 'existential threat' to key area of Biden support

14 TV Series That Are Worth Cancelling Plans For

The Best And Worst Hot Dogs At The Grocery Store, Ranked By Nutritionists

Carnival Cruise Line shares news on expanded passenger bans

"Your Toilet Pipes Will Eventually Begin To Leak": Plumbers Are Sharing The 6 Common Mistakes They'd Never Make In Their Own Bathrooms

6 Of The Coolest German Muscle Cars Ever Built

These 3 Countries Have Amazing Incentives for Retirees Moving Abroad

• Today's news
• Reviews and deals
• Climate change
• 2024 election
• Fall allergies
• Health news
• Mental health
• Sexual health
• Family health
• So mini ways
• Unapologetically
• Buying guides

Entertainment

• How to Watch
• My Portfolio
• Latest News
• Stock Market
• Premium News
• Biden Economy
• EV Deep Dive
• Stocks: Most Actives
• Stocks: Gainers
• Stocks: Losers
• Trending Tickers
• World Indices
• US Treasury Bonds
• Top Mutual Funds
• Highest Open Interest
• Highest Implied Volatility
• Stock Comparison
• Advanced Charts
• Currency Converter
• Basic Materials
• Communication Services
• Consumer Cyclical
• Consumer Defensive
• Financial Services
• Industrials
• Real Estate
• Mutual Funds
• Credit cards
• Balance Transfer Cards
• Cash-back Cards
• Rewards Cards
• Travel Cards
• Student Loans
• Personal Loans
• Car Insurance
• Morning Brief
• Market Domination
• Market Domination Overtime
• Asking for a Trend
• Opening Bid
• Stocks in Translation
• Lead This Way
• Good Buy or Goodbye?
• Fantasy football
• Pro Pick 'Em
• College Pick 'Em
• Fantasy baseball
• Fantasy hockey
• Fantasy basketball
• Download the app
• Daily fantasy
• Scores and schedules
• GameChannel
• World Baseball Classic
• Premier League
• CONCACAF League
• Champions League
• Motorsports
• Horse racing
• Newsletters

New on Yahoo

• Privacy Dashboard

Yahoo Finance

Summer adventures await: flo introduces personalized ev road trip planning in the flo app.

New app update allows drivers to personalize their EV journey

QUEBEC CITY and AUBURN HILLS, Mich. , May 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ - EV owners can now easily charge up for summer adventures with FLO's new trip planning app feature. The new FLO trip planner feature simplifies EV travel, enabling drivers to plan their journey with efficiency and accuracy, factoring in vehicle make and range, passenger count, luggage, and personalized stops, all while pinpointing essential charging stations along the way. Once a journey is planned, drivers can use their preferred map app to navigate their trip via Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.

"There are more than 1.5 million new EVs on the roads in the U.S. and Canada this year vs. last year," said Nathan Yang , FLO Chief Product Officer . "As drivers begin to plan summer adventures and where they will charge on the road, FLO is offering personalized trip planning and seamless integration into the FLO app and our extensive charging network."

The new trip planner feature on the FLO app is now available for iOS and soon for Android.  FLO's highly rated app can be downloaded free of charge in the Apple and Android store.

"Once drivers open their FLO app and tap plan, they are able to customize their journey, including selecting their specific EV make and model, setting precise charge levels for departure and arrival, and accounting for occupants, climate control, extra weight, and weather conditions," said Yang . "EV drivers can then start their journey with a clearer sense of how their range is expected to evolve between departure and arrival points and where they can expect to charge along the way based on their inputs and the feature's estimates."

Once all the information is entered, the trip planner calculates the best route using more than 100,000 stations across more than 30 charging networks. It suggests charging stops and locations when needed and estimates the cost and amount of charging time required for the journey. EV drivers can then send the route to Apple Maps or Google Maps for easy navigation.

The new update is the latest feature by FLO to provide EV drivers with the best charging experience. Last summer, FLO announced a new unique convenience feature  that allows users to view their charging session on their phone's lock screen without having to unlock the phone or open an app.

For more information visit FLO Network. The Fast, Reliable EV Charging Station Network

FLO is a registered trademark of Services FLO Inc.

FLO is a leading North American electric vehicle (EV) charging network operator and a smart charging solutions provider. We help to overcome climate change and accelerate EV adoption through a vertically integrated business model and by delivering EV drivers the best charging experience from curbside to countryside. Every month, we enable more than 1.5 million charging events thanks to over 100,000 fast and level 2 EV charging stations deployed at public, private and residential locations. FLO operates its network across North America with facilities in Michigan and Quebec . To learn more about what "EV charging done right™" means to us, visit  flo.com .

View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/summer-adventures-await-flo-introduces-personalized-ev-road-trip-planning-in-the-flo-app-302158128.html

Over 50 locations across Wisconsin selected for federally funded EV charging stations

First round of funding puts fast EV chargers in each region of the state

More than 50 locations across Wisconsin will host new federally funded high-speed electric vehicle stations.

Gov. Tony Evers announced Thursday the state Department of Transportation awarded $23.3 million out of more than $78 million in federal funding to support 53 fast charging projects. The number of charging stations at each site will vary.

Construction could begin this summer, with the goal of having most projects completed and operational in 2025.

Stay informed on the latest news

Sign up for WPR’s email newsletter.

The recipients in the first round of funding , selected from more than 260 applicants, include 24 Kwik Trip stores, Oneida Casino, Potawatomi Fire Side Market, several other gas station chains, hotels, box stores, restaurants and other businesses.

The sites are located along the state’s Alternative Fuel Corridor , a linkage of interstate highways, U.S. highways and a state highway that connects the eastern and western parts of Wisconsin. The locations selected in this first round of funding vary from suburban communities, like Wauwatosa, to rural communities like Rhinelander.

“We really wanted a Wisconsinite who lives in the southern third of Wisconsin or someone who lives up north to be able to travel the entire state with an electric vehicle and not have concerns about where they’re going to be able to travel,” said Kaleb Vander Wiele, transportation electrification project manager for the state DOT.

Officials said the chargers will support the more than 23,000 electric vehicles registered in the state, along with people visiting from out of state.

Ben Behlke, clean technology manager for RENEW Wisconsin, said the sites selected in this first round of funding will go a long way toward addressing the “range anxiety” many EV owners have. He said he was happy DOT’s site selection was “expansive across the state.”

He said many EV owners plan their trips around where they’ll be able to charge their vehicle, and the time it’ll take to charge. He said most of the publicly available chargers in Wisconsin are relatively slow and these 53 sites with fast charging will help address that.

“Having this infrastructure soon to be put in place, I think, really alleviate some of that stress for people where they can really make a better decision for themselves of if electric vehicles make sense,” he said. “I think this is just a really big step forward to EV adoption. It’s really going to make it a lot easier for people.”

A DOT spokesperson said in January that Wisconsin had 578 publicly accessible stations with 1,373 total ports, 90 of which have high-speed chargers. Using federal funds to expand that network required a state law change to prevent the government-funded stations from being regulated as utilities.

The state DOT said the new projects have an estimated total cost of $33.8 million, including $23.3 million in federal funds and $10.5 million in private funding. The federal program requires applicants provide at least a 20 percent match to the government dollars.

During the application process, DOT considered multiple factors when choosing which projects would receive funding. Some of the criteria included their potential for future development, parking availability and extended business hours to account for longer refueling times.

Vander Wiele said so many Kwik Trips were selected in the first round of funding because the company was “very cost efficient” in its estimates of the money needed to build charging stations at their locations. He said the company’s “substantial footprint across the state” also factored into its awards.

“One of the things we looked for, again, in our application process was placement in disadvantaged communities,” Vander Wiele said. “We looked for how those entities were going to engage communities in the process of developing these projects, and Kwik Trip was very strong in those portions of their applications as well.”

Kwik Trip spokesperson Ben Liebl said the company is excited to partner with the state DOT and is thankful to have been selected for the program.

“We are thrilled to bring EV charging to our guests,” he said in an email. 

Vander Wiele also said the charging stations planned for Oneida Casino in Green Bay and Potawatomi Fire Side Market in Crandon were the first tribal nations to receive funding through the federal program. The two projects will receive more than $800,000.

“We wanted to be able to effectively serve communities in that region of the state,” Vander Wiele said. “Tribal organizations have been an active part of our stakeholder engagement, understanding that they can be key partners in helping us serve some of those communities.”

Wisconsin will receive $78 million over five years from the federal government for expanding electric vehicle charging. The state Department of Transportation says it is evaluating opportunities to invest the remaining $55 million.

Behlke said the first round of funding touching each region in Wisconsin will help state leaders better plan for where they place additional chargers.

“We can look at the data and see which chargers are being used and which chargers aren’t, and where they’re more needed and where they’re not more needed,” he said. “I think that we’re gonna get to a point where we can be very strategic about where we put the funds.”

Wisconsin Public Radio, © Copyright 2024, Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System and Wisconsin Educational Communications Board.

Related Stories

Wisconsin is closer to building out an ev charging network.

Wisconsin inches closer to high-speed EV charging stations

Bipartisan effort to unlock federal funds for EV charging stations moves forward

Wisconsin trails most of its neighbors on EV charging stations, requiring careful planning from travelers

GOP lawmakers circulate bills that would allow Wisconsin to access federal funds to build EV charging stations