The 7 best apps for driving electric vehicles

7 best apps for driving electric vehicles

Electric cars are packed with technology. Everything from your climate control to that all-important battery involves some brilliant engineering. However, to get the most out of your shiny new EV you’ll want to download some highly rated apps designed to take advantage of advanced features or simply make life more convenient. Here are the seven best apps for driving electric vehicles:

1. Download the manufacturer app designed for your car

Do you speak your EVs language? The best way to interact with new electric cars is via its official companion app.

Designed by the manufacturer, these digital gateways can grant access to a host of remote features and some really useful data. Want to jump into a toasty warm car on a frosty morning, precondition the battery for a rapid charge or check your car’s state of charge from anywhere?

Installing the car’s native app gives you access to so many features such as:

• Check the state of your battery’s charge without having to get into your car
• Monitor servicing
• Schedule charging times to take advantage of cheaper electricity rates
• Check when battery charging will be complete
• See an estimate of your car’s driving range
• Turn the climate control system on or off so your vehicle’s at the perfect temperature when you get in
• Precondition your battery for faster charging or optimum range
• Some apps even allow you to lock and unlock the car without a key

Example of manufacturer app is the Nissan Connect App.

2. Zap Map

One of the most trusted apps to help you find a charger, Zap-Maps is full of handy features for EV owners. Being notified of chargers that are in use or broken can be a huge time saver, as is the ability to filter searches by charging speed. Comments from users about their charging experiences are another tool that can help find the most ideal charger.

Lucky owners of the new Nissan EVs such as the impressive Leaf or Aryia SUV receive a three-year Zap-Map Premium subscription. Via Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, Zap-Map Premium can be displayed on the dashboard and navigate you to the selected charger.

3. Plug Share

Heading abroad in your EV? You’ll want an app like PlugShare that easily lists chargers close to your locations or at a given destination. Covering most of Europe and North America, it is ideal when you need to charge in unfamiliar territory. This app will also allow you to filter by chargers best suited to a given EV.

4. EV Hotels

You’re on a road trip in your electric car and you want to book somewhere to stay with a charging point. The EV Hotels app costs £1.99 and provides you with access to online maps which include public and hotel charge points around the world. This app makes it easy to find somewhere to stay where you and your car can recharge your batteries.

5. WhenToPlugIn

Adopting an EV is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint, but the UK’s power grid isn’t set to hit net zero CO2 until 2025. WhenToPlugIn is a great app for the environmentally conscious looking to charge in the greenest way. Sorted by region, users can monitor the electricity supply and charge when high levels of renewable energy are powering the grid. It can even set reminders to notify you when the greenest charging times are.

6. Optiwatt

Energy prices are in flux, and while driving an EV remains cheaper than fuelling a combustion car, there are ways to save money. Charging at cheaper times can dramatically reduce your running costs, and Optiwatt helps you do just that.

This app can automatically schedule charging when the rates are at their lowest, even optimising for your estimated departure time. Handy!

7. Charging Apps

Sadly, there’s not an obvious ‘silver bullet’ app that gives you access to every EV charger in the UK, so it’s best to be prepared. Download the apps for chargers you use frequently for manageable accounts and quick payments. Many have got a lot better with the increasing popularity of EVs, sporting glossy designs and easy-to-use interfaces. InstaVolt and PodPoint deserve praise for good charger coverage and a dependable apps.

So there are the best apps for driving electric vehicles.  Visit our Go Electric Page or Download our Guide to Driving Electric to find out more.