EV Gas Buddy App

[moosetags]

As many know, Gas Buddy is a smartphone app that gives you the price of gasoline or Diesel at fueling stations in a specific area. Is there a similar app for EVers that provides information on kHw cost at a specific EV charging facility?

Brian

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[Thedude]

Plugshare

 

[DeafPug]

The problem with plugshare is that there isn't a set field for storing the cost of charging. They have a "Payment Required? Yes/No" field, but then the cost is in freeform text in the site description. Many entries I find simply say something like "Check the <vendor> app for current pricing", which also isn't helpful to compare across different charging networks.

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

None that I know of. Plugshare probably closest, but only as good as the user base it crowd-sources its content from. Apps of each charging network isn’t enough? Unlike fossil fuel prices, electricity doesn’t fluctuate from day to day.

 

[sub]

With some places changing the prices dynamically based on time of day or current utilization it would be quite difficult for any third party to keep up.

Even if someone reported the price they paid 10 minutes before you get there, it may not be what you pay when you arrive.

 

[Ottoman]

I have 2 Go-To charging networks that I prefer (Charge point and EA)

I will open their app individually and then zoom out and check the pricing/availability for each of them and then pick between the 2..

I tend to avoid Flo, EVgo, Loop and the other brands while I can..

Sometimes I find L2 chargepoints for $1/hr and will rush to that one.

 

[hgpayne]

The way EV charging can be billed varies so much it is hard to compare anyway. Gas upon the USA is always $/Gallon. Electricity for EV charging may be $/kWh but can also be $/minute, a connection fee, a combination of any of these and that can vary over time.

Quick, which is cheaper, charging from 20% to 80% on a 200 kw charger that charges a $5 connection fee + 3¢/minute after 1/2 hour + 10¢/kWh OR 46¢/kWh?

 

[Chewy734]

I wish PlugShare would use the APIs from each provider so that all the prices can be aggregated in one app.

While I have my wishlist out, I also wish that all charging networks have an exposed API.

 

[defcon888]

As many know, Gas Buddy is a smartphone app that gives you the price of gasoline or Diesel at fueling stations in a specific area. Is there a similar app for EVers that provides information on kHw cost at a specific EV charging facility?

Brian

THere aren't as many of brands of chargers out there as there is for gas stations. Having an app specifically for EV prices wouldn't be useful because most EA's are a same price no matter where you are. That would also be the same for EVGo, Chargepoint.

The best thing to do is plan for between $0.36/kWto $0.52/kW.

Just like gas...its only expensive when you don't need it!

 

[moosetags]

Thank you folks for all of this information. We have very little experience with public chargers, and we are planning some cross country trips.

Brian

 

[McLovin]

Thank you folks for all of this information. We have very little experience with public chargers, and we are planning some cross country trips.

Brian

One thing I learned this past weekend is that many hotels have free charging. Not super-fast, but my R1T Large went from 20% to 90% overnight. Kinda evens out the hotel cost.

 

[shap]

One thing I learned this past weekend is that many hotels have free charging. Not super-fast, but my R1T Large went from 20% to 90% overnight. Kinda evens out the hotel cost.

Unfortunately, you can not rely on this - many times they did not work or were occupied. In all my trips, only once I got a free charge at hotel.

 

[McLovin]

Unfortunately, you can not rely on this - many times they did not work or were occupied. In all my trips, only once I got a free charge at hotel.

True, as one hotel had 3 chargers: 2 Tesla, one CCS, but both nights I was early enough to use one all night.

In our 2nd hotel, there were only 2, and one was out-of-order. Luckily we were the only EV there, so no problem using it. But, I can see it being an issue over time.

But, it’s still a “+” if you can land one 50% of the time.

 

[mikehmb]

Thank you folks for all of this information. We have very little experience with public chargers, and we are planning some cross country trips.

Brian

Depending on your route and plans, it may be worth a Supercharger membership. I do not have one myself, but prices are, as far as I can tell, considerably lower if you subscribe.

FYI in California, RAN is consistently $0.36/kWh, while Tesla (the times I've used it - which is only 3) ranged $0.50 to $0.72/kWh. Generally not a big deal, but if you're towing, might be worth the planning/expense.

 

[SANZC02]

Depending on your route and plans, it may be worth a Supercharger membership. I do not have one myself, but prices are, as far as I can tell, considerably lower if you subscribe.

FYI in California, RAN is consistently $0.36/kWh, while Tesla (the times I've used it - which is only 3) ranged $0.50 to $0.72/kWh. Generally not a big deal, but if you're towing, might be worth the planning/expense.

Agree, on a trip with at least three charges a membership saves money. Both EA and Tesla memberships give a 25% lower rate than the non-membership price. I did not get the Tesla membership on my trip but was mostly using Rivian and EA.

From the research I was doing during the trip (probably worth it to check charger pricing on specific routes) it seemed like Tesla was usually the same or a few pennies less than EA at most of the locations.

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