The car is packed, the kids have game-loaded tablets in hand, you’ve signed up for unlimited WiFi and thecar battery is fully charged; you are ready for your trip-of-a-lifetime cross-country trip – almost.

There is one slight wrinkle: The battery on your electric vehicle is going to run out of juice as you aretraversing the Pocono Mountains with not an EV charging station in sight.

Unless you plan on spending the night on Bear Mountain, there is a little more planning involved when setting outon a road trip with an EV. Luckily, there are companies that have seen the need and we are starting to see theirideas become reality.

In April 2019, Google Maps added electric charging stations to its search options. Real-time availability ofcharging ports will pop up if you search for “EV charging stations.” You can also find out how manystations there are available for use. There are also photos and reviews posted.

Open Charge Map is a global public registry of electric vehicle charging locations. This app shares informationabout charging stations and currently has a database that includes 148,222 charging stations across 73,388locations. Its goal is to provide a reliable single point of reference for charging equipment locationinformation.

Chargeway was developed, initially, to help dealers make the case for EVs, and has expanded its reach to theconsumer side as well. Its features allow you to input your vehicle so the app can customize your route based onyour miles per charge and the type of charger on your vehicle: the standard SAE J1772 (J plug) plus the DChigh-power fast charging Combined Charging System (CCS); the CHAdeMO quick-charging plug; and the Tesla charger.(Note: Teslas have EV charging locations built into the vehicle’s software and are accessible on the dashscreen.)

Matt Teske, the founder of Chargeway, prepared some routes for CAR WASH Magazine readers to give you anidea of how the EV charging route-planning maps actually work – whether you are driving a Tesla, a Bolt ora Leaf or anything in between – if you are planning a trip that exceeds your vehicle’s milesper charge. Most importantly, it will prepare a route that takes into account the type of plug needed to chargeyour vehicle (there are four charging types). The app also shows amenities near each charging station (such ascar washes!). This information is gathered from various sources, including Google Maps and also data from theDepartment of Energy. “We can also add information manually,” said Teske.

2 More XC Routes in the Works

Electrify America plans to install or have under construction 484 charging station sites with more than 2,000ultra-fast chargers by July 1, 2019. The station sites will be located in 17 metros and along high-trafficcorridors in 42 states – including two cross-country routes. Electrify America’s chargers have arange in power from 50 kilowatts (kW) – the most commonly used charging power today – to 150 kW andup to 350kW, which is capable of charging a vehicle at speeds up to 20 miles per minute.

Construction In Canada

Canada is on track to have more than 50 EV stations located along the 4,860-mile Trans-Canada Highway atstrategically located Petro-Canada stations from Nova Scotia to British Columbia. Petro-Canada’s networkwill feature DC fast chargers with both CHAdeMO and CCS/SAE connectors. The chargers can provide up to a 200 kWcharge, and the units will be capable of 350 kW charging with future upgrades.

Be on the Map!

If you have an electric vehicle charging station nearby and you don’t see it on the map, Chargeway and OpenCharge Map will both add it for you. What a great way to market your business and get a little extra (free!)publicity for your car wash!

Rank based on Number of EV Charging Stations Per ZIP Code

Rank based on Number of EV Charging Stations Per ZIP Code