Google has rolled out an update for its Maps application that will be able to help you find nearby charging stations that suit your EV vehicle.
By telling Google what sort of plug you need, the search engine’s map app will be able to find you the closest charging station that will work with your vehicle.
The software update also brings with it the ability to search by power type, as well as searching by plug type. Types of plugs include Type 2, CCS, Tesla or even CHAdeMO.
Google maps now has the ability to let you search for electric car chargers
How does Google Maps’ EV function work?
To search for a charging station with Google Maps, simply type in ‘electric vehicle charging’ into the search bar. This will pop up a sub-menu that gives you ways to search for EV chargers.
On Google Maps, you can search by ‘relevance’, ‘plug type’, ‘open now’ and ‘fast charge’. You are also able to search by distance and EV charging speeds.
You can also tell Google which type of plug your electric vehicle needs to charge and it will save that preset for the future so you can find a suitable charging location, no matter where you are.
Google maps can now tell you what plugs nearby will suit your vehicle
The most popular electric vehicle charging apps in Australia
Just like the EV community of vehicles, there are software and applications being built to support this relatively new way of motoring.
As of November 2022, there are several apps on the market to help you with managing the charging of your electric vehicle.
Excluding Google Maps, let’s have a quick look at the available app options you can download to make living with your electric vehicle easier.
Plugshare is one of the most popular EV apps available
Plugshare
A major player in the EV charging app world is Plugshare. This charging locator software is a global platform, so if you ever find yourself overseas with an electric rental car, this program will help there, too.
Plugshare is available free for both mobile and on desktop. On both mediums, you can search by a variety of different filters such as different charging network providers, location type (whether the charger is at a hotel or in a public car park, for example) and power type.
A cool feature of Plugshare is that you can plan your journey within the app to make sure there are key points along the way to charge up your electric car.
Chargefox has an app of their own, but it will only show Chargefox chargers
Plugshare also has a review system so that you can find out the state of each charger, whether it is working or any other issues that users may experience.
Available on Apple store and Google store.
Chargefox
Chargefox is one of the largest EV charging companies in Australia, however it also has a dedicated app that EV owners can use.
Ampol has an app to help you connect with its new charger network
This app shows live data of which Chargefox stations are being used, as well as how your car is progressing with its charge in real time.
The main downside with Chargefox is that you won’t be able to see chargers from other companies.
Available on Apple store and Google store.
Chargefox electric car chargers are getting more and more common by the day
A better route planner (ABRP)
A lesser known app that is becoming popular globally is ABRP. This app takes the driving range data of vehicles and helps plan routes that take into account charging points along the way.
We dummied a trip from Brisbane to Sydney and, with the vehicle set as a Tesla Model 3 long range, the app calculated that we would need to stop three times and charge for an average of 18 minutes per stop to get to Sydney.
We will soon be spending a lot of time charging cars, rather than filling them up with petrol or diesel
The app estimated that the journey, with stops added, would take around 10 hours to complete.
Available on Apple store and Google store.
Other EV charging applications you should consider
- Ampol’s AmpCharge app – set to become a much bigger player in the EV app game as chargers begin to roll out across Australia
- Evie – find electric vehicle chargers across the nation, activate a charging session and do secure payment. Directly linked to Evie-branded chargers
- Chargepoint – although based in the USA, this app will still allow you to find chargers around your local area in Australia
