Whether driving abroad or closer to home, we want drivers to have plenty of convenient chargers to choose from, and that they can easily charge at those locations. That’s why we aim to continually improve the network coverage. We’re constantly forging new partnerships with operators big and small. For example, this year we’ve grown our presence in UK, thanks to new partnerships with ChargePlace Scotland. In continental Europe the largest Charge Point Operator in Spain, Endesa, joined our network.
A well-loved feature comes back
Planning a route accurately is not an easy task, and that’s why we’re not building everything from scratch. Instead, we’re putting our trust in the expertise of our software partner Chargetrip, the world’s leading range prediction and EV routing platform. By taking into account 15 different factors, including road conditions, traffic, weather, and elevation, Chargetrip can:
- accurately predict energy consumption at any given route
- estimate charging times for any electric car
- calculate the optimal charging stations along your route
Now that powerful tool is baked right into the Plugsurfing charging app, making it easier to charge wherever you go.
There’s a strong demand for a reliable way to plan your route and charging within our charging app. More than 5,000 drivers have asked to be notified when our route planner feature becomes available. And many more have already added their EV model within the app. So there are thousands of people eagerly anticipating to give the route planner a try.
Why use our route planner instead of just Google Maps?
By now, you’re probably used to navigating the world with Google or Apple Maps. Although they are great for real-time turn-by-turn navigation, they lack features that an EV driver needs. Namely, they don’t consider how far you can get with the charge remaining in your car’s battery.
In Plugsurfing’s route planner feature, you’ll first need to choose the car you’re driving. In addition, you’ll enter the charge remaining in the battery and the desired charge level at your destination.
With this information, we’ll calculate the optimal route to your destination, plus where and how long you’ll need to charge. You can also transfer the created route to your phone’s map app or car’s dashboard navigation.
Unfortunately, not all car brands support support multiple waypoints, which means that for example you won’t be able to send your route directly to Tesla’s car dashboard. But there’s a workaround: before heading to the next waypoint on your route, you can send an individual stop to your Tesla navigation.
How to plan your charging with Plugsurfing
Below are detailed, step-by-step instructions for using our route planner. There’s really no need to read them. It’s straightforward to use.
1. Find the route planner on the charging map
- Click on the highlighted S-shaped route icon to open route planner
2. Enter your starting point and destination
- Use current your location or search for an address or point of interest
- Add multiple waypoints if you need to run errands or pick up people on the way
- Enter the remaining charge at the start of your trip and how much you want to have left when you arrive
3. Choose your car
- Add your car model to use the route planner
- You’ll also get accurate information about your range and supported plug types
4. Plan your route
- Click on the Plan trip button to calculate the route and charging stops
- To save you time on your journey, we’ll only show DC chargers
- Click on the Show alternative charging options button to see other places to charge
5. Get the route to your map app
- Click on the Open navigation button in your route
- Click on Apple Maps or Google Maps to transfer the route to your navigation app
Add your car model to start using the route planner
The first step to planning your route is to enter your car model in the Plugsurfing app. You’ll get a prompt to add your car model when you open the route planner.
Thanks to our software partner Chargetrip, we have a database with hundreds of EV makes and models, including the power consumption, real-world range, and the supported plug types. With this information, we can accurately show you how far you can get on your current charge, and suggest suitable places to top up your battery.
Plan my route on the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store
