Electric car and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) charging station applications are great. But do they tell you what others found when they got there?
Driving electric cars (EV) is fun — very fun. Finding the right charging stations, however, can be a little tricky at first. Thankfully, the world of always connected cell phones gives us applications that search for the nearest charging stations to give you directions. Let’s say you are at your final destination and will be there a few hours, then why not recharge? Applications like Recargo (http://www.recargo.com/), and PlugShare, now one, as well as others give you nearby location of stations ready to recharge your EV. But what if the station is closed, not working, full or worse, no longer there?
Most, if not all charging station apps give you practically all the above information, but what we really want to know is what did others think of a certain station? What did the last one have to say about it? Recargo just announced PlugScore, a Yelp-like system that rates charging stations and their ease of use.
PlugScore To The Rescue!
You know it can be frustrating when you are nearing a depleted pack and get to a charging station only to find broken or out of order. PlugScore will help you see in advanced how others rated the station. And with over 20,000 charging stations in its North America database, it is one of the largest EV network. PlugScore will make trip planning a much better experience by providing comprehensive charging information before you pull up to charge your vehicle.
According to Brian Kariger, CEO of Recargo Inc.: “PlugScore takes the guess-‐work out of picking a charging station and works much like a restaurant rating system. Now, drivers have the critical information necessary to choose the right charging station. PlugScore ratings provide a quick summary of driver reviews and other factors that make up the overall charging experience in a single number.”
Here are a few features it will include:
- Browse and search the world’s largest database of charging stations
- Check-‐in, review, add tips and photos about charging location experience
- Contact PlugShare members via app, phone or SMS to coordinate charging
- Share electricity from home EV plug or domestic outlet with other EV owners
- Plan trips and get directions to outlets or charging stations via Google MapsTM
- Share charging station links using Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter
- Get notifications when a new charging station is installed nearby
We are happy to see car charging station application continue to improve and keep the crowd sourcing spirit alive. With more real-time information and updates, driving an electric car is only getting easier. Recargo’s PlugScore will let you see in advance how people found a charging stations before you get there.
Recargo PlugScore 2
