Best Apple CarPlay apps for effortless EV charging

If you drive an electric car, you no longer need to pull out your phone to find a charger or start a session. Apple CarPlay now supports a broad lineup of apps that make charging feel intuitive and essentially automatic.

One of the most popular options is Electrify America. It’s the largest alternative to the Tesla Supercharger network, with nearly 800 stations across the United States. The Electrify America app for CarPlay lets you locate nearby sites, get directions, check charging speeds, connector types, and even the current session price. You can also apply filters, for example to show only stations rated above 150 kW.

It works in a plug-and-play fashion: pick a station, plug in, and charging begins. When the battery is full, CarPlay sends an alert right on the car’s display.

ChargePoint offers a similar experience, with its app enabling charging directly from the CarPlay interface. Choose a station, start the session from the screen, and connect the cable—the rest takes care of itself.

If you prefer to see every available charger regardless of network, there’s PlugShare. The platform aggregates locations of all kinds—from household outlets to Electrify America and Tesla sites. Users leave reviews and ratings, which helps steer clear of broken or crowded stations.

Another handy tool is SpotHero, which helps you find parking garages and lots that include EV chargers. That’s especially useful when you’re leaving the car for hours and want to return to a battery that’s already topped up.

CarPlay is steadily turning into a full-fledged companion for EV owners. Beyond these services, the ecosystem includes Zap-Map, ChargeWay, and other apps that streamline navigation, payments, and charge management.

For Electrify America subscribers, premium access costs $5 per month (or $49.99 per year)—a straightforward, good-value way to make life on the road easier.