The biggest hurdle for switching to electric vehicles is range anxiety. And the core reason for range anxiety is not only the battery capacity of the electric vehicles. While battery capacity is crucial but the real challenge is the underdeveloped public EV charging infrastructure in India. Let me simplify with an example: one of the best-selling electric cars in India, the Tata Nexon EV (long range), comes with a battery capacity of 40.5 kWh and offers a certified full-charge range of 390 km. This proves that it’s not just about the battery capacity and the range an electric vehicle can cover, but the lack of public EV charging stations in India.
Since we are at the nascent stage of EV adoption, it will take a decade to build public EV charging infrastructure akin to fuel pumps, which also took decades to establish. Having said that, if you know the tips to find stations near you or on your long trips, you don’t have to fear running out of charge. In this blog, let us guide you through different ways to find electric vehicle charging stations.
Navigation Map Apps:
The most convenient way to locate public EV charging stations across networks is by using Google Maps or Mappls (Map My India), as you likely already have these apps installed on your mobile device. However, many of them contain incomplete or outdated information, making them unreliable. Station owners or operators often fail to update the details, leaving out critical information like the types of plugs available, tariffs, power supply capacity, and contact details. These details are essential for an EV driver to decide whether to visit a station.
Moreover, these apps don’t show whether the station is available or functional. You might reach a station only to find it occupied by another electric car or out of order. Recently, Google in India announced a partnership with several charging point operators to display the real-time availability status of their stations, but this feature has yet to go live.
Pros:
- You likely already have these apps on your mobile device.
Cons:
- Outdated information.
- Inadequate details.
- Lacks real-time availability status.
- Shows stations only within a 10km radius.
- No trip planner.
Charging Point Operator (CPO) EV Charging Apps
Most of the leading charging station operators have their own EV charging apps on iOS and Android to show their stations. When I researched 6 months ago, I came across more than 100 apps on each platform. The accuracy of the information is top-notch, and these apps help you charge your EV at their respective stations.
However, the biggest hindrance is that you have to install multiple apps to locate stations—like installing apps for individual airlines to find the cheapest flights. Some of the largest CPOs, like Statiq, ChargeZone, Glida, Zeon, and Jio-BP Pulse, offer best-in-class user interfaces and innovative features.
Pros:
- Updated, adequate, and accurate information.
- Top-notch user interface and features.
- Some have basic trip planners.
Cons:
- You need to install multiple apps to find stations.
In the recent past, there have been developments within CPOs where they cross-host their charging stations on each other’s mobile apps, like Statiq, ChargeMod, etc. It’s a healthy progress for EV adoption in India. Hopefully, other CPOs will join hands to offer a seamless EV charging experience to drivers and give them the confidence to take their electric cars on long trips.
EV Manufacturers Brands EV Charging Apps
Some EV manufacturers have their own charging networks and EV Charging apps. In four-wheelers, Tata Motors has its own charging station network and mobile app called Tata Power EZ Charge. In fact, they are the leading CPOs with the largest number of stations across India. Similarly, in the two-wheeler segment, Ather and Ola have their own charging station networks that are compatible with their electric scooters. Their mobile apps not only help locate and charge but also control various features of their scooters.
Morris Garages (MG), which has two electric car models already on the road, recently launched an app called eHub by MG along with the new MG Windsor EV. They don’t have their own stations but have aggregated stations from leading charging networks to show them on their mobile app.
Pros:
- Updated, adequate, and accurate information.
- Top-notch user interface and features.
- Some have basic route planners.
Cons:
- You need to install apps of other networks as well.
Aggregator EV Charging Apps:
Scan the barcode and download the EVJoints app to find 6,000 EV charging stations across various networks.
Click & download the EVJoints app to find 6,000 charging stations.
To address the issue of having to install multiple apps to locate stations, aggregators are emerging in the EV charging infrastructure. We’re in the pre-era of MakeMyTrip for charging stations, similar to when we used to visit various airline websites or install their apps to find the best airline for travel.
When I talk to our users, they echo the same thing: they have an average of 10 apps from different networks to locate stations. They stress that while they’re willing to install multiple apps to charge their electric vehicles, they don’t want to install multiple apps just to locate charging stations.
Charging station aggregators may be new to the Indian charging ecosystem, but not to countries like England, the USA, China, and Norway, where EV adoption is rapidly growing. These countries heavily rely on such aggregators as they not only help locate stations across networks but also assist in charging at those stations. Players like Ionage, Fich, Pulse and Gentari Go are leading the way, while players like EVJoints are upcoming app, working towards interconnecting the EV charging ecosystem.
Pros:
- Locate stations across networks
- Real-time availability status of stations
- Updated, adequate, and accurate information
- Top-notch user interface and features
- Some have basic trip planners
Cons:
- None of the apps cover an extensive network of stations.
PlugShare: A Global Community of EV Enthusiasts
PlugShare is an international community- built app where EV users add stations whenever they charge at any station. While the app allows users to add stations, the information is verified. However, this can still lead to outdated, inadequate, and inaccurate information, coupled with a poor user interface. Despite these drawbacks, PlugShare has a large number of charging stations and is loved by EV enthusiasts.
Pros:
- Covers multiple networks
- Offers trip planner feature
Cons:
- Accuracy depends on user inputs
- Inadequate station info
- No real-time station statu
- Poor user interface
Government-Led EV Charging Apps
EV Yatra is a master app by the Indian Government, but it lacks real-time status of stations, resulting in outdated, inadequate, and inaccurate information. There have been reports that the Indian government is making serious efforts to build an efficient master app to show stations across India in the coming years.
State governments also have their own network of stations and EV charging apps, such as Kerala’s Anert, Karnataka’s EV Mitra, Maharashtra’s Power Up, and Surat’s Evolute. These state and central government apps have stations beyond their networks as well. However, the user interface is not as good as the apps by the CPOs or aggregators.
Pros:
- EV Yaatra covers Pan India stations
- Accurate station info
- Real-time availability updates
- Some state apps cover beyond their own stations
Cons:
- EV Yaatra only shows static info
- Basic user interface
- State apps show only stations within their state
Conclusion:
As the EV sector evolves in India, you will see the trend of aggregator apps growing more in the market. When charging station owners open up their networks to multiple aggregators, they have nothing to lose. This change will not only instill confidence in existing EV users but also boost the confidence of traditional car drivers to switch to electric vehicles. For daily travels to workplace, the CPO apps might help you but for longer journeys, aggregators apps like EVJoints or Manufacturers apps like Tata Power EZ Charge and eHub by MG could offer the most reliable information of public charging stations.
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