Planning Electric Vehicle Trips? Use ABRP and Plugshare for the Best Route and Charging Experience
Better Route Planner (ABRP), Rivian app, and Plugshare are three popular route planners for electric vehicles. ABRP is great for mapping a theoretically possible EV route, but it can be out of date. Rivian Nav only gives you a point A and a point B, making it difficult to plan a trip in an EV with multiple stops. Plugshare provides real-time information about charging experiences and the street address of the charging stations. It is recommended to use ABRP as the first step to plan the complete route with the stops, then check PlugShare to see how much success folks recently had at the charging station, and finally use Alexa to navigate to the charging station. For longer trips, it is recommended to purchase ABRP subscription as it integrates better with Apple Car Play.
ABRP is the most comprehensive route planner for electric vehicles. It has a large database of charging stations and can calculate the best route to get from point A to point B. It also provides detailed information about the charging station, such as the type of plug, power output, and estimated time to charge. ABRP also allows users to customize their routes by adding stops or avoiding certain roads.
Rivian Nav is a great app for finding the closest charging station to your current location. It also provides real-time updates on the availability of charging stations and their power output. However, it does not provide any information about the route between two points. This makes it difficult to plan a trip with multiple stops in an EV.
Plugshare is another popular route planner for electric vehicles. It provides real-time information about charging experiences and the street address of the charging stations. Plugshare also offers a map view that shows all nearby charging stations and their availability. This makes it easier to find a charging station quickly when you are on the go.
In conclusion, ABRP is the best route planner for electric vehicles due to its comprehensive database of charging stations and ability to customize routes. Rivian Nav is great for finding the closest charging station but lacks route planning capabilities. Plugshare is useful for finding real-time information about charging experiences and street addresses of charging stations. For longer trips, it is recommended to purchase ABRP subscription as it integrates better with Apple Car Play.
What do people prefer when planning a route with an EV?
Many people prefer A Better Route Planner (ABRP) or the Rivian app, while some find value in Plugshare. ABRP is great for mapping a theoretically possible EV route, but it can be out of date. Plugshare crowdsources almost real time info about charging experiences.
What are the drawbacks of the Rivian Nav?
The Rivian Nav only gives you a point A and a point B, which can be a drag when planning a trip in an EV where you know you might have several points between your starting point and your final destination.
What is the best way to plan a long-distance trip in an EV?
ABRP is the best first step to plan the complete route with the stops and how much to charge at each stop. For each charging stop, check PlugShare to see how much success folks recently had at the charging station. Also, look for close-by fall back chargers just in case. Use Alexa to navigate to the charging station and let it know that it is a charging station so that the truck knows to condition the batteries for the charge as you arrive.
Is there one app that does it all?
Not yet. ABRP is great for mapping a theoretically possible EV route, but it can be out of date. Plugshare crowdsources almost real time info about charging experiences. Too bad there's not yet one app that does it all.
Are there any issues with ElectrifyAmerica stations?
Some reports of ElectrifyAmerica stations not working did not hold true for some users, where they worked fine. It is recommended to check PlugShare to see how much success folks recently had at the charging station before relying on them.
What other tips can you provide for planning a long-distance trip in an EV?
Here are some additional tips to consider when planning a long-distance trip in an EV: