Something about driving an electric vehicle, or “EV,” just feels right. Maybe it's that they're quiet. Maybe it's the no-tailpipe factor. Maybe it's that many of them are just so darn fun to drive. But while those of us who charge at home love to zoom right past gas stations, when it's long-distance road-trip time, we need a little help to us get there.
With its detailed charging station profiles and trip-planning tools, PlugShare squashes range anxiety, but it has another way to soothe those nerves: through the community it creates among EV drivers. Here's how to join in.
- Create a profile for yourself with your EV model and colour
- Tap the map icon to plot out your trip's start and end points. Use the filters to select just the type of chargers you want to see, perhaps isolated to just fast chargers.
- Make your journey fun by seeking out chargers near a spot for a coffee, a scenic walk or a shopping area
- Tap chargers along your route to add them to your plan, and see how far it is between your planned stops
Which chargers should you choose? Well, the ones that work of course! How do you know? This is where PlugShare's community element comes in. As you tap on a charger for info, scroll down to see recent check-ins from the EV community. You'll find out what connectors and payment options the charger has, if people charged successfully, what charging rate they saw, any recommendations for nearby food and activities, and you'll find out if the charger isn't actually working well. (Caution, colourful language ahead!) Set up an alert for a charger and you can even find out when it becomes availalbe—or goes offline. That’s handy if that's the charger you're headed for right now.
PlugShare works for trips where you're renting an EV as well, since it has thousands of chargers mapped worldwide. (Way to go with that impressive charging network, Barbados!)
Now it's your turn! When visiting a charger, check in, say your piece, post a photo, and don't be surprised if you get new users asking you for details. Because as this zero-emission car community grows, it won't be long before a new raft of EV drivers are leaving gas stations in their dust.