Charging Your Electric Car for Free Just Takes a Little Bit of Planning
Save yourself on EV charging station fees by following these tips from the car ownership experts at Jerry.
Even with charging fees, charging an
electric car
at a public charging station
costs just a fraction of what you’d pay at the gas pump. Still, those charging station fees can start to add up, and nobody wants to waste money when they don’t have to. Most EV-owners charge up overnight at home, but when the inevitable happens and you end up searching for a public station to refuel, there are a few tips you can follow to charge up for free every time.
Read along with the car ownership experts at Jerry to learn all about saving, from avoiding charging station fees to getting a great deal on your car insurance plan.
Finding free charging stations
According to
Kelley Blue Book
, the key to saving on public charging is to scope out the free charging stations near you. Thankfully, all it takes to find them is a few clicks on your computer, tablet, or smartphone. Apps like the PlugShare app will not only show you all of the
nearby charging stations
, regardless of brand, but users can also filter based on certain criteria. Not only that, but PlugShare is updated in real-time by other app users, meaning you can get timely updates on station availability, busy charging times, and user reviews. ChargePoint is another smartphone app that can help you find free charging stations, and cross-referencing across several apps can keep you up to date with the most relevant new information.
Along with being able to filter to find free charging spots, apps like ChargePoint, EVgo Rewards, and Electrify America come with promotions, subscriber perks, and other rewards programs for app users.
Where to look for free chargers
Like gas stations, most charging stations are built to turn a profit for the company providing the electricity, but that’s not true for all.
Some towns and localities may offer free charging as a perk for residents, to encourage tourism, or to promote clean energy use, while private businesses may offer free charging to draw in more customers.
If you’re searching for a free charger, you’ll most likely find them in high-traffic areas like airports, shopping centers, and malls.
The EV you purchase may even come with some amount of free charging incentives. Owners of the new
Ford F-150 Lightning
, for example, get 250kWh of free charge via a partnership with Electrify America.Careful planning can earn you big savings
Finding free charging stations can be a great way to save, but sometimes the convenience of a closer station may be worth the price of charging. Either way, you’re still saving tons on fuel costs, and doing something great for the environment.
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