Ten Essential Apps for Electric Vehicle Drivers

If you’re looking for a sophisticated but user-friendly way to plan electric road trips, then ABRP is packed with useful features. It’ll plot the fastest route using the shortest stops and settings such as preferred charging networks and local amenities, including traffic conditions and live charger status. Add premium membership and you’ll get full Android Auto and Apple CarPlay integration, plus the ability to connect your car’s real-time range data for more accurate planning.
Download: Android and Apple (free, some features require a subscription) More information: abetterrouteplanner.com

Bonnet

Roaming app Bonet offers access to almost 20,000 public charging locations across the UK – and some attractive discounts too. There are three membership options, including pay-as-you-go access for occasional users and a top-level £8-per-month subscription which saves high-mileage users 15% per charging session and includes a route planner too. Drivers can filter locations by price, connector type and charging speed, and download invoices from within the app. Download: Android and Apple (free) More information: joinbonnet.com/ev-charging-app

Co charger

Co Charger enables electric vehicle drivers to share their home chargepoint with the rest of the community, filling gaps in the public networks and creating a source of income too. The entire process is handled by the app, which can list the chargepoint and set a per-hour fee for plugging in, then help others to locate, reserve and pay to use it. Co Charger will also e-mail users when new hosts sign up near where they live. Download: Android and Apple (free) More information: co-charger.com

EV Hotels

Destination charging is second only to plugging in at home for convenience. EV Hotels enables drivers to find accommodation with chargepoints either on-site or within a set walking distance. Results can be filtered by connector type and hotel chain, and there are over 45,000 EV-friendly destinations and 180,000 roadside chargers worldwide listed within the app. The latest version also has a search function for holiday homes and cottages.
Download: Apple (£2.99) More information: evhotels.org

GECO Air

Small changes to your travel patterns quickly add up. GECO Air automatically logs all of your journeys (including walking and cycling) then calculates and logs the combined environmental impact in a diary. It will then highlight areas with poor air quality, suggest improvements to driver behaviour and journeys where a different mode might have been more suitable. Results are tailored to your car, including battery-electric models. Download: Android and Apple (free) More information: gecoair.fr/en

Octopus Electroverse

Electroverse offers seamless access to almost 800,000 chargers across Europe and can filter results down to locations powered by green energy. It’s Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatible for navigation functions and includes detailed information and images for easier planning. Octopus customers get the added convenience of paying for charging as part of their home energy bill and get discounts of up to 8%, depending on their tariff.
Download: Android and Apple (free) More information: electroverse.octopus.energy

Parkopedia

Although it isn’t specifically aimed at EV drivers, Parkopedia is a simple way to find parking and charging close to your destination. Its live map shows availability and prices across 90 countries, with the option to filter out car parks which don’t offer somewhere for drivers to plug in, then push the address to your favourite navigation app. Premium membership includes the ability to pay for parking, too. Download: Android and Apple (free, some features require a subscription) More information: en.parkopedia.co.uk

Tesla App

You don’t need to drive a Tesla to enjoy the perks of the carmaker’s robust, ultra-fast Supercharger network. Selected sites (including some motorway service areas) are now open to other manufacturers’ vehicles and the company’s app offers several useful features for drivers. This includes live usage information, discounted off-peak charging and a monthly subscription option which cuts already-low pricing even further. Download: Android and Apple (free) More information: tesla.com/en_gb/support/tesla-app

WhenToPlugIn

Not all electricity is created equal. National Grid’s EV charging app is designed to help drivers plug in when the local electricity supply is rich in zero-carbon energy, such as wind, solar and tidal. Its live map shows carbon intensity across the country, and predicts it up to 48 hours ahead for easier planning – a useful companion if you’re hoping to minimise the environmental impact of your travel needs. Download: Android and Apple (free) More information: nationalgrid.com/cop26/when-to-plug-in-app

Zap-Map

All the functionality of Zap-Map’s widely praised live chargepoint map, but in a pocket-friendly app. It offers a multitude of search filters, easy in-app payment and invoicing (at selected networks) and a smart route planner based on the shortest possible stops and live data for 75% of UK sites. Drivers can opt to share their home chargepoint with others and, with premium membership, use the route planner in Android Auto or Apple CarPlay. Download: Android and Apple (free, some features require a subscription) More information: zap-map.com/app