PlugScore, which enables drivers to rate electric vehicle charging stations has been integrated into the PlugShare provided by Recargo.
The main feature of PlugScore is its rating and communication system. This enables electric car drivers to use their mobile phones, tablet PCs, or any other internet-connected mobile device to rate the quality of experience at charging stations. It also enables you to help other drivers by rating charging stations yourself. You can write reviews for them whenever you stop by.
This way, other drivers won’t have to drive all the way to them and be surprised by inconveniences, such as reliability, compatibility, or any other issues the stations might have. For example: If a charging station owner claims it is free, and you find that you had to pay for it, you can actually state on PlugShare that a fee is required, or write that in your review.
Drivers can even ask others users how much longer they will be charging, so they can decide whether it makes sense to wait, making trip planning easy, as the COO of Recargo, Forrest North, told me in an interview.
Planning trips can make a world of a difference when your range is short. Even if it is very long, people still run out of gas due to poor planning, yet there are people with electric cars who don’t normally run out of power, which goes to show that planning is just as, if not more important than range.
“PlugScore takes the guess-work out of picking a charging station and works much like a restaurant rating system,” said Brian Kariger, CEO of Recargo Inc. By aggregating user scores, drivers can assess whether a charging station is right for them before they arrive, and avoid those which are often broken, busy, or inconvenient.
PlugScore is available for Android devices and Apple’s iOS devices (including a version developed specifically for the iPad to utilize its large screen). And the PlugScore app is also integrated into the PlugShare website.