Quick Facts About Free Charging Stations
- Use EV charging apps to easily locate free charging stations in real time to help save you money.
- Some new electric vehicles come with complimentary charging benefits from manufacturers, which can reduce ownership costs.
- Free public charging stations are sometimes found at popular locations like shopping centers, workplaces, and hotels, providing added convenience for EV drivers.
Buying an electric car opens a new world of driving, like never paying for a single drop of gasoline. Yet, just because you bought an electric car or truck doesn’t mean you need to waste time and money when it’s time to charge.
Juicing up the battery of an electric vehicle (EV) costs less than filling a gas tank. But when you do a bit of research and planning, you can potentially find a handful of free electric vehicle charging stations.
According to the United States Department of Energy, 80% of electric car charging happens at home. But what about those times when you need a charge while on a road trip in an EV or if you didn’t access a charging station before jumping behind the wheel?
Use our expert tools and tips to get you and your electric car free charging in various driving scenarios.
- Where Can I Charge My Electric Car for Free?
- What to Know About Free EV Chargers
- Tips for Finding Free Chargers in Public
Where Can I Charge My Electric Car for Free?
The good news is that there are several convenient ways to recharge without spending any money. An essential first step involves using your smartphone and helpful apps. For example, the PlugShare app allows EV drivers to filter through all sorts of charging stations, including ones that are absolutely free to use.
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Available on both Apple and Android smartphones, PlugShare encourages users to provide real-time information about the location and status of charging stations. After all, a free charger is useless if every spot is full or it’s out of order when you pull up with a low battery. ChargeHub and A Better Route Planner (ABRP) are additional apps that can provide in-depth routes and location-specific charging data. The apps allow users to easily filter to find free EV charging stations nearby.
It’s good advice to download several apps for the charging networks you regularly use, or may possibly use. EV charging network providers such as ChargePoint, Electrify America, and EVgo will also show you real-time information regarding station locations and availability. They might also offer rewards that provide subscriber perks, like free charging after earning enough points.
EVgo Rewards, for example, gives subscribers $10 worth of free charging once they accumulate 2,000 points. With this program, one dollar of charge equates to five earned points.
Your town or local utility company might offer free public chargers or promotional programs. You can find such free chargers in malls, other shopping center parking lots, universities, hotels and casinos, public transit stations, and even at some recreation areas operated by state parks or the National Park Service. However, fees may apply for charging during some periods. Also, look for car dealerships that may provide a no-cost charging station.
[Editor’s Note: I recharged at an on-street charging station during a visit to Chattanooga, Tennessee. While it wasn’t no-cost charging, the $1 per hour fee for the Level 2 charger was less expensive than the $1.50 hourly rate for the parking meters on the street. Another “free” charging session was at a Level 3 fast charger in a South Carolina state park. It was free to use after paying the standard park entry fee. — Chris Hardesty, senior advice editor.]
What to Know About Free EV Chargers
The best things in life might be free, though they might not always be the most convenient. Chances are good that a free EV charger will offer a slower Level 2 charge rate. Generally speaking, this provides about 20 miles of range when an EV gets plugged in for about one hour. DC fast charging, or Level 3 chargers, are much quicker, and 30 minutes could be enough for a full charge. However, finding a free one could take a little extra searching.
Lines for free charging stations might also be an issue, or there may not be empty chargers when you arrive at a destination and need to plug in.
If you’re going to drive in an unfamiliar area and know you’ll be near the maximum range of your EV, be sure to have a backup plan in case your intended free electric car charger is unavailable.
Tips for Finding Free Chargers in Public
Free charging stations are often placed in high-traffic areas like shopping malls, popular fast-food chains, and grocery stores. Your town or city might operate free charging stations to promote clean energy or encourage drivers to visit their downtowns and other commercial hubs. Using an app to find these charging stations is an invaluable tool for EV owners.
Even if a charger might not be free, remember that the EV you purchased could come with some form of charging incentive. You should also know that, in most cases, that benefit is given to the initial vehicle owner and is not transferable when they sell the car.
Other automakers have partnered with large charging networks to provide free charging for a specific length of time or a certain number of kilowatt-hours (kWh). Early adopters had the opportunity to enjoy free-charging benefits more than today’s new EV buyers, as those incentives aren’t as common as they once were. Today, a manufacturer is more likely to offer a credit for installing a Level 2 in your home.
Tesla owners who bought their vehicles before 2017 had perpetual free access to the automaker’s Supercharger network, but that perk has mostly disappeared.
So, if you’re shopping for an EV, remember to ask if the make and model that catches your eye offers an added benefit, such as free charging at public stations or a credit for a home charging station.
Editor’s Note: This article has been updated since its initial publication.
