Ranking of the best mobile applications
The main advantage of mobile applications is above all the ability to plan your itinerary in advance. This represents significant added value compared with the on-board systems offered by manufacturers, which have a number of limitations, not least of which is the inability to modify or customize parameters according to the vehicle model and the planned route.
For example, if the journey involves several stages, these will not be taken into account in detail by the system, which can be a handicap when it comes to planning the recharging of your electric car on the road.
This is where apps come into their own, allowing you to make the most of your trip in terms of organization and prepare your journey in advance, with complete peace of mind.
In addition, given the still uneven and insufficient distribution of charging stations in France, app-based route planners are still very useful.
According to Avere France, as of October 31, 2022, 77,318 public charging points in Francestill a long way from the French government's end-of-2021 target of installing 100,000 charging stations across the country..
Manufacturer applications
The mobile applications offered by carmakers feature a wide range of functions enabling you to manage your electric car's equipment. What's more, they also contain all the information you need to use your vehicle, which can be very useful if you have any questions relating specifically to your electric car model.
See also : Renault integrates Waze into its multimedia system
The Tesla application
The American carmaker is offering a comprehensive mobile application for owners of a Tesla electric. The user-friendly application offers a host of functions enabling you to control your electric car remotely.
In particular, it allows you to geolocate your Tesla and offers an optimal system for locating and managing the charging of your vehicle. While your Tesla is charging, you can check charging level and power as well as remaining charging timein real time.
What's more, you can also limit the charge, so that it doesn't exceed 80%, for example. Once your electric vehicle is recharged, you'll receive a notification directly via the app telling you that you can get back on the road.
The Tesla application also allows you to manage the vehicle's various equipment remotelysuch as opening and closing the vehicle and its trunk, or activating the air conditioning and heated seats. In winter, for example, you can remotely activate your Tesla's heating before you set off, so that you're in a vehicle that's already heated to the right temperature.
Tesla has also recently updated its application to include "Charge Stats", a new tab providing a wealth of information on energy consumption. information on the energy consumption of your Tesla of your Tesla vehicle, how much you spend on recharging and how much you save compared to a combustion vehicle.
In addition, you can schedule maintenance or repairs for your Tesla vehicle directly via the application, a very practical and time-saving feature.
Finally, the application also features the Sentinel modewhich, when activated on the vehicle, enables you to receive notification of any incident. Sentinel mode, linked directly to the vehicle's alarm system, detects suspicious activity around your Tesla, reinforcing the security of your vehicle in your absence, if you're not nearby.
A Better Route Planner
Is it important for you to be well organized in advance of your vacation trips? Here's a mobile application that's sure to come in handy.
Swedish in origin, A Better Route Planner (ABRP) is a free planning application that lets you plan your electric car travel itinerary in an electric car with complete peace of mind.
To obtain accurate forecasts, you can enter various parameters such as road conditions, weather forecasts and average road speed. What's more, you can also traffic information in real time..
For certain models of electric vehicles, you can also consult battery level and energy consumption information directly.
What's more, if you have an OBD2 box, connecting it to the app will give you real-time access to your electric car's data for even greater precision.
Finally, the application also lets you select preferred recharging networks. This is particularly useful for drivers of a Tesla electric who wish to use the Tesla Supercharger network exclusively.
See also : Everything you need to know about Tesla's charging station
Thanks to its wide range of functions, A Better Route Planner is a must-have reference application for all electric motorists.
Want to go electric?
Beev offers multi-brand 100% electric vehicles at the best prices, as well as recharging solutions.
ChargeMap is a free application offering both a route planner adapted to the model of your electric vehicle. ChargeMap is also considered to be the reference in terms of location of charging stationswith a comprehensive and constantly updated database of charging charging points available around you.
The content of the ChargeMap application is fed by the community. In fact, the charging points are listed by the users themselves, along with the characteristics of each one. What's more, users can also leave photos and comments, which can be consulted to check that the charging point they intend to visit is working properly, with a real-time display to check availability.
ChargeMap also lets you configure your route in real time. You can specify, for example, whether you want to take a break along the way, how long you'd like this break to last and how much battery power you need to get back on the road.
In conclusion, ChargeMap remains a rather limited application in terms of the options and customizations it offers. Its strengths, however, lie in its ergonomics and ease of usewhich makes it accessible to all users, without the need for any expertise in electric cars.
See also : How do you prepare for skiing in an electric car?
PlugShare
The application PlugShare has a desktop and mobile interface, allowing you to plan your journey and and geolocate available recharging points from your computer, tablet or smartphone.
On PlugShare, you have access to the main information about the charging stations located on the application, such as the charging network or the type of plug supported supported.
You can also consult the access conditions for each charging point, allowing you, for example, to see which charging points require a specific badge, or whether they are accessible to the public or not.
In fact, some establishments choose to open their recharging stations to their customers only. This is particularly true of hotels, which can choose to limit the use of their charging stations to guests staying in their establishment.
See also : Installing a charging station in a hotel
Some charging stations also have reviews and photos, added by users in advance, to verify their reliability.
NextCharge
NextCharge is another mobile application that allows you to locate the various recharging stations in your vicinitywhether public or private.
Although not yet fully developed in France, it could prove extremely useful if you decide to travel in Europeand neighboring countries with your electric vehicle. What's more, it has its own recharging networkcurrently only available abroad.
What's more, NextCharge lets you perform a route simulation taking into account parameters such as average speed, battery capacity and number of passengers on board. This simulation will enable you togive you an estimate of therange of your electric vehicle throughout your journey.
ChargePrice
Let's move on to the ChargePrice. This application offers a charging point comparator to find the best charging station at the best price.
Unlike other applications, which focus more on the location of charging stations, ChargePrice will concentrate on the different amounts offered by charging stations.
The application will then compare the various existing tariffs to offer you the most advantageous the most advantageous available nearby.
The aim is to help you save on top-ups which can represent a considerable budget, especially on long vacation journeys.
What's more, ChargePrice is a collaborative application. In fact, its content is fed and updated thanks to resources shared by the community, so as to offer an ever more complete and optimal application.
MIIO
Designed by a Portuguese start-up, MIIO is a mobile application offering a route simulator as well as a search engine for locating nearbyocalize nearby charging stations.
But, unlike other similar applications, MIIO also offers a simplified, automated payment solutionallowing you to pay the top-up amount directly via the application.
What's more, MIIO lets you know the final cost of recharging in advanceThis is a great way to anticipate all your vehicle recharging costs, especially when you're on vacation, and opt for the most economical recharging solution.
And if you're a professional, MIIO also offers a recharging control and supervision solution, for businesses.
Antelope
Antelope is an application that allows you to predict the consumption of your electric car on a given journey, enabling you to anticipate and optimize your charging needs when traveling.
This makes it possible to determine in advance the energy consumption of your vehicle, taking into account numerous parameters such as :
- driving style (eco mode, sport mode, average speed, etc.)
- on-board weight (number of passengers, weight of baggage, etc.)
- battery status
- traffic
- weather conditions
- difference in altitude
Thanks to its artificial intelligence, the application provides increasingly precise information on your electric vehicle's energy consumption as you use it.
Windy
As a little bonus, we also offer you the Windy.
This application will allow you to track wind directionwhich also has an impact on your electric car's energy consumption.
Windy gives you real-time access to wind forecastsWindy gives you real-time access to wind forecasts, particularly in terms of direction and speed, so you can deduce the range required to complete a given journey with your vehicle.
Windy will be a great ally in the anticipation of your next electric car journey.
See also : 8 tips to reduce the energy consumption of your electric car
Summary table of application prices
| Applications | Application price |
|---|---|
|
Tesla App |
Free |
|
A Better Route Planner |
Free or Subscription of €4.99 per month or €49.99 per year (for access to all functions) |
|
ChargeMap |
Free |
|
PlugShare |
Free or €0.99 for the ad-free version |
|
NextCharge |
Free |
|
ChargePrice |
Free |
|
MIIO |
Free |
|
Antelope |
Free |
|
Windy |
Free or Premium annual subscription at €18.99 / year (for even more detailed forecasts) |
And that's it, the top of the best mobile apps for electric cars comes to an end.
We hope this ranking has introduced you to some apps that will help make your daily life as an electric vehicle driver easier.
What's more, other applications are likely to emerge in the near future, as electric mobility develops.
