Electric vehicle newbies and even seasoned drivers can sometimes fret over where they will find their next plug-in on long trips.
General Motors is reducing that anxiety for its customers thanks to a partnership with Electrify America, an online storinghouse of nationwide charging stall data. The agreement will provide GM drivers with app-accessible locations and tons of other information.
"We're collaborating across the industry to deliver not just more chargers, but better public charging experiences," GM energy vice president Wade Sheffer said in a news release.
The program details 5,000 EA charging stations, including fast-charge options, through GM-branded, phone-based apps. It's promoted as a streamlined process for Chevy, GMC, and Cadillac owners. The features include finding stalls with "real-time availability"; route planning; charging session status monitoring; and the ability to pay for power-ups on the app, according to GM.
The automaker is also among eight others that partnered to form Ionna, a project to install tens of thousands of charging stations nationwide. Other ideas include leveraging electrical infrastructure at the country's robust campground network to provide recharge options.
"As EV travel continues to grow, so does the need for convenient charging experiences," EA CEO Robert Barrosa said.
For daily charging, EV owners can save the most money by charging at home. It's a convenient option that allows drivers to fill their batteries when electricity prices are lowest, or overnight when their EVs are idle. Experts at Qmerit reported that using Level 2 home chargers can save EV owners hundreds to thousands of dollars compared to gas and public stalls that levy fees. Qmerit's team can also curate competitive installation quotes for the tech so you know you are getting the best price.
Solar panels are a great complement for home charging, providing cheap, abundant electricity via the sun. It's grid-independence at a time when electricity rates are reported to be rising faster than inflation. TCD's Solar Explorer can match you with a vetted installer at the best price in your area.
Switching to an EV also provides about $1,500 a year in gas and maintenance savings. That's in addition to preventing harmful tailpipe exhaust and creating quieter travel.
And GM's update is evidence that charging options are increasing, which is good news for long-distance journeyers.
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$200 or more 💰 The automaker said there are 250,000 public stalls available to its customers across the United States and Canada. Many stations, such as Tesla's 75,000 Superchargers, can provide a couple of hundred miles of range in around 15 minutes, depending on your vehicle.
An Electrek reader — of a story about the GM-EA announcement — was looking forward to future tech that will provide a full charge in less than five minutes. It's a possibility that's coming closer to reality.
It's "only going to get better from here," the reader commented.
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