Public charging stations: where to find them and how to use them
Index
- Where the public charging stations are located.
- How to find public charging stations
- How to charge electric cars at public charging stations
- Making payment at charging stations
Public charging stations for electric cars are becoming an essential part of urban and intercity infrastructure. As the popularity of electric cars grows-and the number of sales grows month after month, across Europe-the availability and accessibility of efficient charging stations have become crucial to support the transition to electric.
We at Powy install new charging points month after month in strategic locations: in public parking areas within cities, as well as at parking lots of restaurants, hotels, shopping malls and beyond. Our state-of-the-art technology, guarantees a complete solution for electric vehicles.
Our charging stations are featured not only on the app Powy, but also on all major electric vehicle charging apps and in popular car navigation systems, ensuring maximum visibility and significant benefits for our partners.
Where to find public charging stations
Public charging stations for electric cars are becoming increasingly present on our roads, especially in urban areas. In addition to public parking lots and rest areas in cities, they are also common in shopping malls and supermarkets, where free or low-cost recharging is often offered to encourage environmental sustainability. Traditional gas stations are also adding charging stations to offer full service to their customers with electric vehicles.
Airports and train stations, as high-traffic transit locations, are installing charging stations to serve travelers and commuters using electric vehicles. Along highways and major arterial roads, it is not uncommon to come across fast-charging stations, installed to facilitate long-distance travel by allowing drivers to make quick stops that do not require excessive charging time.
This growing network of public charging infrastructure is playing a crucial role in supporting the widespread adoption and use of electric vehicles while promoting more sustainable mobility. We at Powy are actively contributing to the development of this infrastructure network, identifying the areas of greatest interest based on the needs and behaviors of our customers and active collaboration with dozens of partners.
How to find public charging stations
To find public charging stations for electric cars, there are several useful resources. Applications, such as the one at Powy, and websites easily offer detailed maps of available charging stations, including information on connector type, power, real-time availability and cost so you can choose the most appropriate charging point based on your needs.
Many navigation systems built into electric cars are also equipped with these features, making it even easier to plan trips by taking into account stops needed for charging. This network of digital tools facilitates access to public charging infrastructure, thus supporting the widespread adoption and use of electric vehicles in daily life and long-distance travel.
To date, all it takes is a simple web search to realize how easy it is to find charging stations in your area of interest, along with other useful information.
How to charge electric cars at public charging stations
Charging an electric car at public charging stations is a fairly simple process, but it can vary slightly depending on the type of charging station. To initiate charging, you can either use your favorite app or an RFID card, with some exceptions.
Currently, you can use not only the app Powy and the RFID card Powy, but also the main industry apps to recharge at Powy and those of other operators, on Italian territory and elsewhere. Before starting charging, make sure that the car is parked properly and that the charging connector is easily accessible.
Next, connect the cable first to the column and then to the vehicle and start charging-you can do this from the app or by swiping the RFID card on the reader on the column. In fact, most charging infrastructures, including Powy, support RFID technology, simple cards offered by the various operators that allow you to start and end charging with ease.
Once charging is complete, the duration of which varies-as well as the user's needs-from a few minutes to a few hours (depending on the power of the charging station), stop the session via the app, RFID card or directly at the charging station if possible, and disconnect the power cord at both ends.
Making payment at charging stations
Payment for charging an electric car at public charging stations can be made through different methods, depending on the type of charging station. In general, the Powy columns offer payment via app and QR code, while the POS system is being integrated.
To pay via app, open the app you are using to recharge, select the column and follow the instructions to confirm payment. If the column supports payment by QR code, scan the code with your smartphone and follow the directions to complete the transaction. If POS, enter your credit or debit card and follow the on-screen instructions to make the payment.
Regardless of the method chosen, it is important to follow the instructions on the column to ensure that the transaction is completed correctly and the recharge successfully initiated. Many operators, moreover, offer packages or subscriptions so you can save money based on your frequency of use.
Answering the question, "How much does it cost to recharge at a public charging station?" is not straightforward. There are many variables to take into account: the power of the charging station, the operator that runs it and its rates, whether the car will be stationary beyond the end of the charging period, the country in which it is charging, and more.
According to a recent estimate by Motus-E, "taking into consideration a medium/large family SUV, the average price of the energy needed to travel 100 km is around 4.5 euros by recharging at home and 8.8 euros by recharging at a public-use station with a subscription. This is lower on average than the equivalent car running on diesel (on average around 10.3 euros), gasoline (around 12.1 euros) and LPG (5.5 euros). The same is true for citycars: in electric, the expenditure to travel 100 km on average is around 4.2 to 8.2 euros with subscription and depending on the charging location, again doing better gasoline (about 11 euros) and LPG (about 4.7 euros)."
Conclusions
Public charging stations for electric vehicles are a key pillar of modern transportation infrastructure, supporting the growing adoption of battery-powered cars and promoting sustainable mobility.
These charging stations are distributed in various urban locations, and their locations, along with specific features, are easily accessible through dedicated apps and websites. This makes their use simple and accessible in both daily life and long-distance travel.
Our ever-expanding and strategically placed network Powy, is integrated into leading apps and navigation systems, offering comprehensive and affordable solutions for our charging partners. We install charging stations at no additional cost to them, while providing state-of-the-art service for end customers.
In addition, recharging at our Powy stations is a simple and straightforward process thanks to our app, the apps we are integrated with, and our direct payment system via QR code. This approach ensures fast and uncomplicated charging, improving the user experience and contributing to an increasingly efficient and widespread electric mobility network.
Check out all the charging stations Powy near you!