Get answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about electric vehicles (EVs) and how to charge on the Electrify America network.
As an Electrify America Pass or Pass+ member, if you’ve downloaded the Electrify America app and added a valid payment method to your account, you have two ways to start a charge by smartphone:
As a guest (without an Electrify America account), you can pay by credit card. Every Electrify America charger is equipped with a credit card reader, to make charging easily available and accessible to all EV drivers.
First, plug the connector into the vehicle. Follow all steps on the touchscreen before entering a Visa or MasterCard credit card for payment. If your card has a chip, please insert it fully into the reader.
A temporary authorization of $50 will be applied to all credit or debit cards, and will be released after final billing takes place. The duration of this hold is determined by your card provider.
Find an Electrify America charging station near you using our charger locator map. You can also download the Electrify America app to locate an available station, track stations coming soon, and get notifications whey they're available.
Charging time varies for each session and depends on factors such as your EV type, battery age, and weather conditions. Many modern EVs can reach up to an 80% charge in about 30 minutes using our Ultra-Fast chargers. Check your owner's manual or specifications of the vehicle online to find your battery capacity in kilowatt-hours (kWh). Remember, the higher the kW, the faster the charge.
Plug&Charge is now available at all Electrify America charging stations. However, it is only available for capable EVs.
To find out if your EV is Plug&Charge capable, please contact your vehicle’s manufacturer or look at your vehicle's owner's manual for more information.
Oftentimes when you encounter chargers delivering reduced power, it means our maintenance team has temporarily reduced power on the charger for improvements and updates. While these chargers still operate, they function at reduced power levels. We understand the inconvenience of slower charging speeds, and we're always working to enhance your experience for faster charging in the future.
Please note that not all sites are affected. To see the power level of chargers at a station ahead of time, use the Electrify America mobile app.
Thank you for your patience and support.
In many cases, charging errors are temporary and can be resolved by stopping and restarting your session. Here's what to do:
For more detailed instructions on how to charge, visit How to Charge Your EV
No, an Electrify America Pass or Pass+ membership is not required, but having one comes with benefits. For example, Pass+ Members save about 25% each time they charge. To learn more about Pass or Pass+ benefits, click here.
No, membership cards or apps from other charging networks cannot be used at Electrify America stations.
Currently, Electrify America does not offer RFID cards. To initiate a charge, you can use the Electrify America mobile app, Apple Wallet, credit or debit card, or Plug&Charge for capable vehicles.
No, Electrify America is not a publicly traded company.
Our DC fast, Ultra-Fast, and Hyper-Fast chargers are capable of delivering up to 50 kW, 150 kW, or 350 kW. Higher power levels offer faster charging for capable vehicles. The blue and green labels on each charger indicate the maximum available kW by connector type.
All electric vehicles are different, so check your car’s manufacturer to learn about the charging capabilities of your EV. If your car is not compatible with the maximum charging level at your charger, that’s okay. Our chargers will automatically give you the highest power level that your vehicle can handle.
Tip: A DC-compatible EV can be charged at any available Electrify America station.
We use blue and green color labels to help drivers easily determine the correct type of connector and corresponding power level for their electric vehicle. At Electrify America chargers, green power level labels refer to CCS connectors, while blue power labels indicate CHAdeMO. For example, a green label reading “up to 350 kW” means that the charger offers up to 350 kW for a CCS-compatible EV. If your car is not compatible with the maximum charge indicated, the charger will automatically give you the highest level that it can handle.
Tip: If you need support at the station, contact our Customer Assistance team. We are available 24 hours a day / 7 days a week by dialing the toll-free number, 1-833-632-2778.
Though there are two connectors at each Electrify America charger, only one can be used at a time. Having two connectors ensures that it’s easy for you to plug in—no matter where your car’s charging port is located. If either connector is in use, look for the next nearest charger. Most charging stations have at least four chargers to increase availability.
Drivers who do not unplug and move their vehicle ten minutes after their charging session is complete will be charged a $0.40 per-minute idle fee. This fee encourages drivers to move their car promptly so that others can use the charger. You can be notified when your charging session is complete by text message 2 or see it on the charger screen.
2 Messaging and data rates may apply.
If you have a membership, log in to the Electrify America app, go to your Account, and select “Charge history.” You can filter your history by date and share it by email.
You can also receive your receipt by text message, if you provide your mobile phone number at the start of a session. (Messaging and data rates may apply.) The total cost will also be displayed on the charging station screen at the end of your session.
If you provide your mobile phone number at the start of your session, you can get text message updates to see:
If you have the Electrify America app on your mobile phone you can also check the status of your charging session directly from the app. Download the Electrify America app:
Tip: You will only receive text messages from Electrify America on the mobile phone number related to each individual active charging session.
The charger screen may also display data that is updated each minute, including:
Tip: EVs typically accept reduced charging levels as a battery charges, often slowing at around 80%. This means that the charging speed may slow down toward the end of your session.
When the charge is complete and the vehicle unplugged, your receipt will be sent as a text if you provided your phone number at the beginning of the session. This is in addition to your receipt shown on the charger screen.
State of charge, or SOC, indicates how “full” your EV’s battery is. When charging begins, most EVs send the charger an initial SOC, which is displayed on the charger screen. If available, the SOC will be updated as your car charges, though some EVs are not capable of sending our chargers this information.
Our chargers will also display the time it takes to reach 80% SOC, if your car transmits that information. EVs slow their charging rate as the battery approaches a full charge, which typically occurs around 80%. The SOC that this occurs at is often referred to as “bulk charge.” Vehicles will continue charging to 100% at this slower rate to preserve your battery life.
To end the charging session, just press the “Stop” button at the bottom right of the charger screen.
You can also stop a charging session through the Electrify America app. Select “Stop Charging” on the Current Session screen.
Tips:The screen may ask you to unplug the connector from your vehicle and start a new session by plugging it in again. You will need to resubmit payment to begin a new session. If it’s still not working, please move to a nearby charger at that location if one is available. The Electrify America Customer Assistance team is also here to help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Dial the toll-free number at 1-833-632-2778.
Toward the end of your session, you may notice your charging speeds (kW) slow down. Many vehicles “bulk charge” and slow their charging speed when they reach about 80%*.
Because of this, we recommend unplugging your vehicle after bulk charging has occurred. When starting a charging session, most EVs share their initial state of charge (SOC) with the charger. SOC indicates how "full" the battery is and can be viewed on the charger screen or in the Electrify America mobile app.
To stay updated on your SOC and other charging details, download the Electrify America app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store .
*Exact battery percentage may vary. Check with your vehicle’s manufacturer to learn when bulk charge occurs for your vehicle.
In colder temperatures, your EV’s software typically lowers the charging power it accepts.
So, when temperatures are colder, it’s important to plan ahead for longer charge times, whether the trip is part of your daily commute or a longer road trip. For more information, read our cold weather charging tips here.
Yes, it is fine to park your EV outside during the colder months. However, keeping your EV in a warmer garage can help the battery charge faster and hold its charge longer.
Electrify America is committed to providing a high-quality charging experience for our customers. To ensure these standards are met, we are upgrading some of our legacy hardware to the newest generation of chargers. During these upgrades, stations will be temporarily offline. We update our Network Status page weekly with the list of charging stations that will be temporarily offline due to upgrades, planned maintenance, vandalism, or cable theft.
We are committed to providing our EV drivers with accurate, transparent information on our network. If there is a widespread service interruption on our network, our team will provide an update on the Network Status page, to the best of our ability. Bookmark this page and check back for the latest update on our network status. As always, real-time station availability can be viewed within the Electrify America mobile app.
Depending on your location, you pay to charge either by the kWh or by the minute. In per-minute locations, the maximum amount of power your vehicle can accept (which your vehicle communicates to the charger at the beginning of your charging session) determines your power level and price.
When you use an Electrify America station for the first time, you'll be billed an amount you preselected in our mobile app during your initial account setup. This billed amount is held in your account to cover any additional costs that aren't included in your plan, such as idle fees and applicable taxes, or for future charging sessions. To make sure your charging experience is seamless, your Electrify America account will automatically reload with the fund amount you preselected when it drops below $5. To change your auto-reload amount, visit the Account tab in the Electrify America mobile app, where you can select from the options $10, $20, $40, or $60.
Your Premium Offer covers most of the cost of charging but does not cover:
The auto-reload amount allows you to cover these costs while charging uninterrupted. Check your vehicle’s terms and conditions for the precise details of your Premium Offer.
* See the Electrify America Locate a Charger page for exact commercial station location details
We accept credit or debit card payment directly at the charger using Visa, Mastercard, American Express, or Discover. We also accept payment through the Electrify America mobile app, apps from other automakers, Apple Pay, and Google Wallet.
The $50 you see is a temporary authorization, not an actual charge. Once you are done charging and the transaction has settled, the $50 hold is removed and a single charge is processed for the transaction cost. Depending on your bank, the hold is typically removed within 24-48 hours once the transaction is settled.
When you plug in to charge, your vehicle tells the charger the maximum power it can accept. Based on that communication, your vehicle will be assigned to the corresponding power level offered by the charger.
Your charging speed may fluctuate due to factors like weather, age of your battery, and how full your battery is (your state of charge). The per-minute price stays the same for the entire session, regardless of how the charging speed may vary.
Where feasible, Electrify America has transitioned to kWh-based pricing. In these locations, you pay for the energy your vehicle receives, regardless of temperature, your battery’s capacity, the time it takes for your vehicle to charge, or other variable factors.
When you sign up for Electrify America Pass or Pass+ in the mobile app, follow the prompts to add your credit card to your account. Then select an amount to automatically load money to your Electrify America balance.
This amount will be added to your account the first time you charge your vehicle at an Electrify America charging station after signing up. Every time your balance falls to or below $5, your account will reload with the amount you selected.
The cost for charging, idling, and any applicable taxes will be deducted from your balance at the end of your charging session.
If you’re a Pass+ member, your monthly subscription fee will be charged to your credit or debit card when you sign up and deducted from your Electrify America balance monthly thereafter.
If your payment method is declined during a charging session, please update it to allow Electrify America to auto-fill your account and continue charging your vehicle.
If the payment method is not updated, charging will stop when your account balance reaches $0.
In the app, go to your Account and select “Plans.” Follow the prompts to upgrade to Pass+ or to change plan types.
Please note that a request to change from Pass+ to Pass membership will go into effect on the first day of the next billing cycle, which coincides with the monthly anniversary of your sign-up date.
If you delete your Pass+ membership, you will no longer enjoy savings of about 25% on charging.
You can cancel your membership anytime in the app. Go to your Account and select the pencil icon to edit your profile. Then select “Delete Account” and follow the prompt.
Pricing on a per-minute basis means pricing based on how long the charger was delivering energy to the EV. Pricing on a per-kWh basis means pricing based on how much energy the charger delivered to the EV. We believe pricing on a per-kWh basis offers a fair and consistent charging experience to EV drivers. We are working with regulators to follow the various processes that are required for us to provide EV charging on a per-kWh basis. This is an ongoing process and we look forward to further developments that may allow us to provide EV charging on a per-kWh basis throughout the rest of the states.
Our pricing varies by state. You can find pricing for each state on our Pricing page, or on our Locate a Charger page in the station details. You can find pricing in the Electrify America app as well—just select your favorite station from the map.
The enrollment process varies by vehicle manufacturer. Some vehicle manufacturers use the Electrify America app while others have their own mobile app to enroll. To determine which app is required for your Premium Offer, visit our Premium Offers webpage, where you can click on your car's manufacturer to find detailed information.
For automotive manufacturers using the Electrify America app, the Premium Offer requires a one-time enrollment. Use the enrollment code provided by your dealer to redeem your complimentary charging within the Electrify America app.
*To help ensure you can charge uninterrupted, your Electrify America account balance automatically reloads when it falls below $5. You’ll be billed the auto-reload amount you select in the app the first time you charge at an Electrify America station, and the billed amount will be held in your account to cover costs not covered by this plan, such as idle fees and applicable taxes. Drivers who do not unplug and move their vehicle ten minutes after their charging session is complete will be charged a $0.40 per-minute idle fee. This fee encourages drivers to move their car promptly so that others can use the charger. You can be notified when your charging session is complete by text message (your mobile carrier’s messaging, data and other rates may apply) or see it on the charger screen.
The charger shows the initial price of the charge before any promotions and taxes are applied. At the end of your session, you'll see your price following the application of your Premium Offer benefit.
Electrify America is excited to introduce pricing for EV charging on a per-kilowatt-hour basis in many states throughout the US. This means drivers will now pay for how much energy is delivered from the charger to their EV instead of how long the charger delivered energy to their EV during their charging session.
Where we do provide EV charging on a per-minute basis, we have simplified our pricing. High-power chargers will have only two power levels instead of three. The power level of your session is determined by the rate of charge your EV communicates to the charger. The price you will pay per-minute is displayed on the charger after the session begins.
Consider enrolling in our Pass+ plan, which saves you up to 25% on charging!
Premium Offer plans that include complimentary charging aren’t affected by these changes. Once your plan expires or you exceed your plan benefits for a session, the remainder of your charging will automatically be billed at our Pass plan pricing. You can choose to enroll in Pass+ for additional savings.
We introduced the Hyundai Select and Kia Select plans to give these drivers more competitive pricing. Our new pricing gives Hyundai and Kia drivers access to the same great pricing all other compatible EVs have on our network, which is even more competitive than the Hyundai Select and Kia Select plans.
Your Hyundai Select or Kia Select plan was automatically removed from your account on September 16, 2020 when we introduced our updated pricing schedule. You can continue to charge at the new pricing using the Pass plan, or any other plan on your account. If you want to save on every minute or kWh of charging (depending on where you’re charging your EV), download the app. and enroll in our Pass+ plan.
No, your plan will automatically be updated with the new pricing.
Each month the Electrify America team reviews instances of alleged abuse of premium offer plans. If your charging history shows multiple instances of intentional abuse, you will receive a communication that your account has been flagged for abuse. If you do not correct your behavior within one month time, you will receive a second communication notifying you that your premium offer plan has been terminated, effective immediately.
Common behavior that violates our Terms of Use:
If you drive and charge multiple vehicles at our stations, make sure you select the right plan in the Electrify America app or OEM app before initiating a charging session.
To toggle between plans within the Electrify America app – Navigate to the Swipe to Start screen and click the plan name under the Plan section. This will open a list of all the plans available so you can select the appropriate one for your vehicle.
You'll need the Electrify America mobile app to create and log in to your Electrify America account. Download the Electrify America app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store . Once downloaded, you can sign up or log in to your account.
No, you can use your existing Electrify America account credentials to sign in to the new app.
Yes! Please ensure your vehicle is compatible with CarPlay or Android Auto and your phone is up to date. Here are a few ways you can use the Electrify America app in vehicles compatible with CarPlay and Android Auto:
The Electrify America app is supported by both iOS 16+ and Android 9+.
A solar canopy is a covering structure that holds solar panels and offers protection from the weather.
Today, Electrify America’s 100% solar-powered chargers offer Level 2 speeds, charging capable vehicles at a maximum rate of 3.3 kW.
Charging stations equipped with solar canopies integrate with the local electrical grid (and, in some locations, on-site energy storage) to help us deliver DC fast charging.
You can also find each charger’s maximum rate by checking the Electrify America app or the charger’s screen.
Currently, all Electrify America charging stations with solar features (both the fully solar stations and our on-site solar canopy) are located in California.
You can learn more about solar energy and photovoltaics for your home and other uses by visiting the U.S. Department of Energy’s website.
The electrical grid in each region of the U.S. puts out differing emission levels. This often varies by time of day and weather conditions, which may influence renewable energy generation. To see emissions in your ZIP code, visit the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Power Profiler.