In Spain there is not very extensive signage of the electric charging points available on the road compared to other countries. However, this signage does exist, it is called S-105 in the General Traffic Regulations and indicates “the location of a fuel pump or service station, including LPG (S-105c), electric recharging (S-105e) or several of them (S-105b, S-105d or S-105f)”.
So, if beyond the specific charging points, these roadside charging points exist but are not particularly well signposted, how can they be found? Well, there are several ways to access this information, with the most popular (and the simplest) being online.
Where to look for roadside charging points
There are several ways to find electric vehicle charging points, as there are various tools that will allow you to plan your route to avoid unexpected inconvenience:
- Use of integrated navigation systems: Many modern electric vehicles come equipped with navigation systems that include the location of charging points. These systems not only show the nearest charging points, but they also indicate the real-time availability and supported connector types.
- Use of navigation apps: In some of the most common navigation apps, such as Google Maps or Waze, you can search for charging points by entering terms such as “charging point”, “electric car charging” or “electric car charging stations”, amongst others, on the search bar. When you enter the search, the app shows the closest points to the geographical location from which we carry out the search, which makes it very easy to locate them to plan the route.
- Specific mobile apps: There are specific mobile apps for searching for electric vehicle charging points. One of the most popular is Electromaps, which also allows you to find out if the charging point is free or not, add information about it, manage payments directly from the app etc.
- Charging point maps: Through any browser you can access a wide variety of websites that have maps of charging points which indicate the location, features and price of them, amongst other factors.
- Communities of electric vehicle drivers: There are forums and communities of electric vehicle drivers in which the users themselves are the ones who report the locations and characteristics of these points. This can be an excellent option to obtain updated information on the location and functionality of the stations, in addition to the experiences and recommendations of other drivers.
Advantages of locating stations and planning charging
Correct planning of the route and charging points, besides guaranteeing a quieter, safer trip, optimises travel time and reduces the chances of any unexpected problems appearing. What’s more, by searching in advance, you can compare the prices of each of the charging stations, allowing money to be saved as you know the most economical option.
In short, while road signage for charging points in Spain continues to grow and gradually improve, there are numerous tools that allow you to find these stations easily. This facilitates proper preparation of the route and resources, turning any trip by electric vehicle into a more comfortable and pleasant experience.
