I'm thrilled to announce the launch of my new OpenAI ChatGPT plugin, (Super)charge My EV, now officially listed in the OpenAI plugin store. This custom tool simplifies the process of locating public charging stations from various providers (or vendors) throughout the United States, and in some cases, globally, making it easier than ever for electric vehicle (EV) drivers to plan their journeys, near and far.
Plugins are tools designed specifically for language models with safety as a core principle, and help ChatGPT access up-to-date information, run computations, or use third-party services. Learn more.
As the world continues to shift towards sustainable transport, the demand for EVs is increasing. However, one of the main concerns of potential — and current — EV owners is the availability and location of charging stations regardless of manufacturer or vendor. While there are several apps and websites that provide this information, they are often limited to a specific provider or vendor, making it difficult for EV owners to plan their journeys or simply find a charging station in their area.
Plus, my mom regularly asks me where she can find a charging station as she contemplates making the switch to an EV. I'm sure she's not the only one asking or simply curious (if not, hesitant to make the leap due to not knowing). So it'd be great for her (and others) to be able to easily find a charging station (in English, Spanish and any other languages) with ease as this plugin aims to do.
Charge My EV allows users to search for charging stations by specifying common parameters, in multiple languages, such as city, address, business name, connector type, and the provider or vendor of the charging station... all in casual conversation.
Figure 1. Spanish example of Charge My EV ChatGPT prompt.
The data is sourced and updated regularly from various APIs, like the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), then aggregated to makeup a comprehensive list of charging stations.
The ChatGPT plugin also includes a unique feature that enables users to find Tesla supercharging stations that — as of recent — are open to non-Tesla vehicles, both in the US and other regions of the world.
Figure 2. Charge My EV ChatGPT plugin prompt in English for non-Tesla superchargers in Norway.
As of this writing, ChatGPT plugins are in a beta and may not be accessible to you just yet, however, they are available to Plus users, which, if this is you, can be accessed as outlined here and below:
- To enable plugins, open ChatGPT
- Navigate to the settings by selecting your name in the bottom left, then choose settings
- Inside the settings menu, if plugins have been rolled out to you, there should be a "Beta features" section which you can select and then enable plugins or browsing.
- Search for
Charge My EVin the plugin store and click on the plugin to enable it for your chat session(s).
Note: the name originally submitted for the plugin was Supercharge My EV, however, I recently updated the name to Charge My EV to reflect the fact that the plugin now includes more than just Tesla supercharging stations for non-Tesla vehicles.⚡️🤘🏽
Here are some real example prompt links you can try out directly with the plugin:
- Where can I super charge my EV in Oslo, Norway?
- How many supercharger locations for non-Tesla EVs are there in the US?
- Can I supercharge my Tesla in Sparks?
- Can you please tell me how many superchargers are available in Nevada?
- Where can I charge my Tesla in Reno NV?
- Where can I charge my ID4 in Tonopah NV?
- Where are there Electrify America charging stations in Nevada?
- Are there Rivian charging stations in Utah?
- Are there level 2 chargers in Columbus, Ohio that I can use?
The variations are endless, so feel free to try out different prompts, in a language you prefer, and do follow-up questions after an initial response and let me know what you think — I'm always looking for ways to improve the plugin.
I'm excited to continue to improve the plugin and add more features based on research, usage and user feedback, like the ability to find charging stations along a specific route and more.
Additionally, I'm already exploring and developing other plugins that can help people in their everyday lives, particularly by removing friction and barriers and making it easier for people to discover and access information and resources relevant to them.
A future blog post, I'll dedicate to the process of developing the plugin, including the product and technical aspects of the plugin, like the data sources, the infrastructure, the code, metrics and more.
// Let's query the available charging stations ({ error, count, chargers: relevantChargers, } = await getAllAvailablePublicChargersForPlugin(queryParams));