The best handy apps for electric car drivers

New to electric cars and need a helping hand to get you from A to B safely, fully charged and refreshed?

We’ve put together a quick roundup of handy apps that tell you the best place to park, plug in, snooze, and even when—or if—it’s time for you to go electric.

EV8 switch

The EV8 Switch app, launched by the UK government, shows whether switching to an electric car is the right option for you by outlining how you can reduce your carbon footprint, how much money you can save and by making tailored recommendations for electric cars.

Compare electric cars with your existing vehicle, monitor your current journeys to unlock personalized advice and recommendations.

ChargePoint

The ChargePoint app helps EV drivers find designated ChargePoint chargers, but can also find stations from the other major networks – and is especially useful if you’re looking for EV apps for a summer vacation in Europe or North America.

It will show you where the stations are, how much they are (some are free), how many kilowatts of speed you can get and whether they are in use.

Activate charging sessions from your smartphone by tapping the station. Notifications in the app will then appear and provide real-time updates on your charge status.

EVHotels

The EVHotels app simplifies travel plans by providing drivers with a map of 250,000 accommodation options worldwide that have charging points either on site or within a certain walking distance. Both free public chargers and those restricted to hotel guests are noted.

The maps can be customized and filtered, choose your favorite hotel brands, enter the type of car plug and your preferred walking distance between public electric car chargers and hotels.

EVHotels is available for £2.49 on Apple IOS and Android.

JustPark

As the UK’s largest parking network with over 45,000 locations, JustPark essentially connects drivers with parking spaces.

Whether you’re looking for a parking space or have a driveway you want to rent out, JustPark is the app you need.

Parking spaces are available in real time, and you can process pre-booking and payment in a single account.

Even better, EV drivers who have a home parking space and charger can earn money by sharing this with the public on JustPark’s platform.

WhenToPlugIn

The UK’s electricity grid has said it will achieve net zero CO2 emissions by 2025. Until then, the company’s WhenToPlugIn app will show you the best time to plug in your electric car to get the cleanest energy. This is energy generated when a high proportion of renewable infrastructure feeds the grid.

The app allows users to monitor the types of generation that make up your power supply, it shows how power is generated in real time and alerts you to record low carbon intensity.

There will be occasions when our electric use is inflexible, but changing routines to avoid peak grid loads when fossil energy is likely to kick in is an important part of getting the most out of your electric car.

• A full overview of the best EV apps can be found on the electric car subscription website Elmo Drive.

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