Despite all their environmental benefits, 87 percent of consumers are still skeptical about electric vehicles, Consumer Reports found. People cite several reasons for their reluctance when it comes to electric vehicles, including price, reported safety concerns and range limitations. If you want to drive an electric vehicle, we’ve got the best apps to enhance your driving experience:
GreenCharge
GreenCharge enables you to check the range of the current battery before a charge is required. In addition, the app offers insightful metrics and battery data.
Since this information can be accessed daily, weekly and monthly, you can effectively monitor your driving habits to further bolster your cost-saving efforts.
PlugShare
Like Facebook, PlugShare operates through a social network of electric-vehicle driving individuals. Through this network, drivers exchange information regarding the 18,000 electric charging stations that are stationed around the United States and listed in the PlugShare network.
EV Ping
EV Ping employs QR codes to enable you to contact other drivers while they are recharging their vehicle. By doing so, drivers can access real-time information and conditions regarding a particular charging station. This information can be vital in determining whether you should find another charging port, start charging or continue to wait.
Better Place Oscar
The Better Place Oscar app is a component of a bigger, fully connected platform. The app offers members of Better Place the ability to be in touch with the battery’s charge levels or contact customer service at any time. In lieu of the other services provided by the app, smart navigation, range forecasts and personalized energy management are provided.
DriveTime Chose the SmartWay
While ditching your gas hog for an efficient electric vehicle offers several benefits, everyone doesn’t have the resources to buy a new electric vehicle. Unlike other national dealers, car loans by Drivetime help drivers with poor credit. The loans feature several money-saving and credit-building facets designed to help you re-establish your credit. Check out the free Car Loan Calculator app for insight about amoritzation schedules and interest. When you are considering loans, remember to look for the “leaf,” which represents the government-sponsored fuel-efficiency rating program, SmartWay.
The SmartWay sticker ensures car loans will be on vehicles with low greenhouse gas emissions, more fuel-efficient choices with the EPA’s air pollution standards.
Entune Entertainment System
Toyota’s Entune system is the first infotainment center to integrate apps into the vehicle’s touch-screen display. Entune offers on-screen apps such as Panadora, Bing, iHeartRadio, Open Table, MovieTickets.com and several other types of information, which is featured in Toyota’s Prius. Entune reduces the need to be concerned with your mobile phone because it is offered on the vehicle’s interface.
Never heard of some of these apps before but really surprised that Next Charge misses a lot of lists for best apps or even EV charging apps. Maybe it’s just big in Europe? But I’ve even used it in Australia to start charges. Maybe it’s the marketing or opinions of the journalists. I’m just an ev driver travelling all around…