When I'm driving to work every day, I use for navigation, along with Spotify or an internet radio app.
But when I'm going on a long trip with friends or family, I make sure certain essential apps are always on my phone.
There have been times in the past when, on a long road trip, I've suffered from range anxiety on an EV or came across unpredictable weather.
This is why these two Android Auto apps are always on my phone even though I might not use them daily.
They are great at navigation, but that's about it
Google Maps and Waze are great at what they do: getting you to reach your destination as fast as possible.
Both apps have added meaningful features that benefit Electric Vehicle (EV) users, but they aren't as robust as other apps.
The same goes for weather forecasts, but they don't share route-timed information or show conditions you might encounter along your route.
But when it comes to going on a long road trip, whether to the mountains, forests, or the beach, certain essential apps are more suited than the default navigation apps.
I rent an EV when traveling to other cities because it's cost-effective and supports quick charging for fast top-ups.
Waze does a better job of finding charging stations based on my car's plug type, but I use PlugShare because it offers more information about the station and its amenities.
Similarly, using a generic weather app on long trips can be a pain, since they don't usually provide real-time updates on weather conditions along your route.
Which is why I also use Drive Weather, an Android Auto app that tells me what to expect along my route and what the weather will be when I arrive at my destination.
It even helps me pick the best departure time, so I encounter as little weather as possible.
Both apps help me during long road trips
I will be the first one to admit that using an EV for road trips always causes me range anxiety, no matter how much charge I have.
That is why it is always important to have PlugShare, so I can find charging stations along my route. PlugShare has saved me from being many times, even during my daily commute.
PlugShare lets me find charging stations with the same plug type as my car and great amenities.
The app is community-driven, and every charging station's data is updated with reviews, recent images, and all types of EV-charging information.
PlugShare's main strength is its filter feature, which lets me find stations with fast chargers, restaurants, and restrooms. It also shows whether a station is operational and which chargers aren't working.
It saved me a lot of time because I don't have to go to the charging station to check whether I can charge my car.
I filter search results by selecting charging speed (Level 2 or DC fast), network provider, restroom and restaurant availability, and my car's connector type. This weeds out stations I wouldn't want to visit, those without fast chargers, or those without my car's connector type.
These amenities are essential on a long road trip, so I can charge as fast as possible and enjoy a meal or use the restroom while I wait.
The app has a Trip Planner feature that helps me space charging stops and shows the distance between each one, so I never run out of charge.
What makes the app so easy to use is that after I select a charging station, the one-tap navigation handoff to Google Maps/Waze is extremely convenient.
Drive Weather lets me plan my road trips better
When you first download Drive Weather, the app may not seem impressive because its design and UI aren't exactly polished.
But what I love about the app is its features: it gives me route-timed weather forecasts instead of the usual city forecasts.
I enter the starting point and destination city for my road trip, and the app shows me snow, rain, wind, temperature, visibility, and other details along my route, along with the estimated arrival time for each segment.
There's even a slider that lets me adjust my departure time to see how the weather changes along my route and what I might encounter.
The app also overlays a live animated radar so I can see changes, since predicting weather isn't an exact science.
The app helps me stay aware of severe weather in the area, and I can monitor conditions in while I drive.
While these features may not sound like much, they help me choose a better departure window, pick safer alternate routes, or plan a stop when severe weather is expected.
With more use, I developed a habit of checking the app the night before and again before I leave for my road trip.
PlugShare and Drive Weather changed how I planned road trips
But I cured anxiety related to EV range and severe weather conditions thanks to the two apps.
There are many other apps suited for road trips, such as for offline navigation.