PlugShare iPhone app offers charging network for electric cars

PlugShare, a new iPhone app, allows electric car drivers to locate and share power outlets, creating a virtual network of charge sites, plus easier location of public charging stations. Individuals who don't have an electric car, but want to be part of the community, can also offer up their home electric outlets through this location-based service. PlugShare can be used nationwide.  

Earlier this week, California-based Xatori announced the free app. Participants don't need a special outlet to signup, because electric car owners will have their own vehicle plug-in adaptors.

To see a map of shared outlets in a given area, drivers enter a destination. If someone is using the app to share home electricity, an address, type of outlet, phone, and preferred time of contact is needed. For many people outlets are in the garage or house, and therefore may want to be home to let an electric car driver charge up.

One concern could be the added charge on an electric bill as a result of sharing a home power source. New York Times Green blogger Todd Woody interviewed Xatori founders, and on this issue they told him that in their calculation most people who share a standard outlet won't see much of a bump in cost. Based on the San Francisco Bar Area, they estimated about 15 cents per hour of charge. In Woody's interview they noted that most electric car owners would not be stopping by to completely charge up, but perhaps just to top-off for a farther destination or make up for a miscalculation in vehicle range. And the sense of commaraderie and furthering environmental causes may more than make up for the cost.

—Maggie Shader

See our guide to fuel economy for advice on saving gasoline. Learn about future technologies in our guide to alternative fuels.