Here are some of the best apps available for use in Ireland if you have an EV

There’s no doubt that the rise of EVs is going hand-in-hand with advancing technology. EVs are becoming more and more connected. Perhaps the best example is Tesla. You can control so much of the car from an app on your phone. The car will even update itself over the air. Indeed, some Tesla owners buy their car, and thanks to some over-the-air updates find that they have a better car than when they first bought it!

But even if you don’t own a Tesla, and just want to do the weekly commute in an old Nissan LEAF, there are a few apps that are handy to have. So in this piece, we’re delving into some of the best that you can use in Ireland.

The Manufacturer’s App

No matter which EV you buy, chances are that there will be an app that goes with it. You don’t necessarily need it, but it can unlock a lot of functionality such as preheating your car and scheduled charging.

If you’re buying a new EV, make sure to look into getting the app that was designed for the car. But there may also be some independent apps if you really like an extra bit of data and functionality. Something like LEAF Spy will tell you battery health, and a lot more data you might enjoy.

ESB

ESB are what you might call the established charging network in Ireland. They have been installing chargers for a decade now, and have a huge spread of chargers littered across the country. Of course, as EV drivers, we always want more though!

The ESB ‘ecar connect’ app is free to download, and will allow you to check on the live status of their chargers. You can search for chargers on the map and then see if they’re online or not. Once you have a profile set up, you can lodge some money to the account. One really handy feature is that your account automatically tops up the balance once it drops to a certain level.

EasyGo

EasyGo are making huge strides in Ireland, installing reliable DC Tritium chargers in good locations as well as lots of AC posts in various commercial sites. The app is an absolute must-have for EV drivers in Ireland.

You create an account and lodge some money. You can use the app or the fob to activate the chargers. The great thing is that EasyGo have partnered with most of the other networks in Ireland so that you can use the EasyGo account on other networks. Their app will also display non-EasyGo chargers to make them easier to find.

ZapMap & PlugShare

Both ZapMap and PlugShare do roughly the same thing. They allow you to locate chargers all over the world. As they are independent of the charging networks, they display all charge points no matter the network. They will even display charge points in places like hotels and various commercial sites.

You can search by your location, by address, or scan the map to see what is close to your destination. You can also filter the searches so that you are only shown chargers as you need them, such as CHAdeMO for LEAF drivers.

The app’s information is community driven. So users ‘check in’ with information on the charger to say that it is currently broken, unreliable, or is frequently blocked for some reason. You can also put your destination into the app, and it will show you all of the chargers along your route to help you plan.

If you’re buying an EV, you can play around with both, and see what suits you best.

Need to Charge

Need to Charge is an app that allows you to contact the owner of a car that is blocking or using a charger. You can let them know that you ‘Need to Charge’. The concept is great. But the issue is that it depends on the community all downloading and registering on the app. Although useful at times, there is probably not yet enough of a community for it to make a big difference.

Co-charger

Co-charger is an exciting new concept that allows EV drivers to connect with those that have a charger at home. In essence, the ‘host’ allows you to charge on their home charger for a small fee. It allows the host to make some money off their charger when not using it, and it gives EV drivers access to more chargers.

The app currently only has hosts in Northern Ireland. Hopefully, that will change soon.

A Better Route Planner

ABRP for short. This app allows EV drivers to easily plan their route. Most motorists will tend to do the same trips over and over again, getting to know the routes like the back of their hand! But what if you’re taking a longer trip and don’t know it so well. Well, if you’re in an EV, that may take some planning. ABRP will tell you where you need to stop to charge, and for how long.

You download the app, updating a profile of your car. The app then knows the typical range of that car for various conditions such as seasonality and speed. Once you apply your location, destination, and starting battery %, ABRP will show you where you need to stop and what % you will be on when you get there. Of course, there will be some small variations, but it is a very good guide for your trip.

Home Chargers

More and more of the charge points fitted at home are now smart chargers. They offer a lot of excellent functionality. Although we’re only scratching the surface of what life with an EV will be like in 10 years, we can still do a lot with our home chargers.

MyEnergi are a very exciting company that are perhaps most famous for their Zappi charger. The charger can tell what the solar panels on your roof are producing, it knows what your house needs, and it will divert excess energy into your car instead of back to the grid. MyEnergi have an app that allows you to monitor and control the functionality. Even if you don’t have solar at home, you can still use the app to control the charger.

But MyEnergi aren’t the only Home Charger manufacturer with an app. It is worth shopping around and looking at the functionality of each as they are all different. Some others worth looking at are Ohme, JuiceNet, and EO.

Summary

As the technology develops there will be more and more apps. This is absolutely not an exhaustive list. Real EV enthusiasts will want to get more apps for more functionality and access to data. However, if you’re just looking for a basic EV to get you from A to B, then you’ll get away without the need for any apps at all. If you’re considering an EV, then there are plenty more articles in this series that go into more detail on topics such as what chargers are available and where to find them.

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