EVgo vs. ChargePoint: Head-to-Head Comparison
Electric vehicles have their pros and cons but continue to grow in popularity, evidenced by the growing number of EVs in major automakers‘ lineups. One of the biggest cons of EVs is the need to charge them for hours instead of just filling up the gas tank in a few minutes.
Inconvenient charging and range anxiety slowed early EV adoption, but these issues are gradually disappearing with growing charging infrastructure, longer driving ranges, and fast-charging networks.
Two EV charging companies at the forefront of the growing infrastructure in North America are EVgo and ChargePoint. But how do these two EV networks stack up against one another? Continue reading to see the full EVgo vs. ChargePoint head-to-head comparison.
Number of Chargers
The EV charging infrastructure is constantly growing, and forecasts indicate they’ll continue growing as electric vehicle adoption rates increase. In fact, in December 2021, the Biden administration announced plans to spend $7.5 billion on an EV infrastructure bill that’ll add roughly 400,000 more EV chargers in the North America. EVgo and ChargePoint are two of the larger networks in the U.S.
ChargePoint
ChargePoint is the largest EV charging network in the U.S. with over 30,000 charging locations nationwide. As seen in the map above, the ChargePoint network has very few gaps, giving users almost limitless access to EV chargers.
EVgo
EVgo is fairly widespread with over 800 charging stations spread across 35 states and 68 metropolitan areas.
Types of Chargers and Connectors
Having a huge network of chargers is great, but EV charging stations must also have the connectors and charging speeds you need. Here’s how EVgo vs. ChargePoint match up.
ChargePoint Chargers and Connectors
Chargepoint offers a range of charging options, including:
- Level 1 (120V household plug)
- Level 2 J1772
- DC Fast Chargers with CHAdeMO connector
- DC Fast Chargers with a combo connector
EVgo Chargers and Connectors
EVgo has a smaller network with more limited charger options, but it offers all the major EV charger types, including:
- Level 2 semi-fast chargers
- Ultra-Fast DC Chargers with combo connectors
- Ultra-Fast DC Chargers with CHAdeMO connectors
- Ultra-Fast DC Chargers with + Tesla connectors
Charging Costs
EV charging in public, like refueling, is usually not free. There is a wide range of pricing points across all the charging networks. Here’s a look at the charging costs of EVgo vs. ChargePoint.
ChargePoint Charging Costs
ChargePoint has a wide range of pricing schedules. Some of its electric vehicle charging stations are 100% free to use, as the business they’re installed at absorbs all the cost in the hopes the EV charger will help pull in additional customers. In other cases, ChargePoint chargers may charge $2 to $3 per hour. And in some cases, they will even charge per minute.
Keep in mind that these rates may also change based on the time of day and the cost per kilowatt-hour (kWh) at that time.
There is also a fee if you remain parked after your vehicle is charged. ChargePoint gives you a 5-minute grace period to move your vehicle after charge completion. After that, it charges you 14 cents per minute up to a maximum of $5 per session.
EVgo Charging Costs
EVgo‘s fees vary by membership level. Without a membership, you’ll pay a $1.99 per charging session fee plus EVgo‘s standard charging fees, which are as follows:
- DC Fast Charging stations in California: Starting at 28 cents to 40 cents per kWh
- DC Fast Charging stations outside California: 25 cents to 31 cents per minute
- Level 2 charging nationwide: $1.50 per hour
If you upgrade to an EVgo membership, you’ll still pay the standard charging rates, but EVgo waives the $1.99 session fee. The membership costs $4.99 per month, but you’ll get that cost back in prepaid charging credits each month.
EVgo‘s Plus membership will cost you $6.99 per month and offers no prepaid credits. However, it also waives all session fees and offers lower-cost DC Fast Charging. The charging costs are as follows:
- DC Fast Charging in California: Starting at 25 cents to 35 cents per kWh
- DC Fast Charging outside California: 22 cents to 28 cents per minute
- Level 2 charging nationwide: $1.50 per hour
EVgo also allows you to reserve chargers ahead of time. On the pay-as-you-go system and the EVgo Member levels, reservations cost $3. If you’re a Plus member, reservations are free.
Rewards Programs
Rewards are seemingly everywhere these days. Many companies are looking to earn your repeat business, from grocery stores to clothing stores to credit cards, by offering special perks for repeat use.
EVgo got into the rewards game back in September 2021 with its simply named EVgo Rewards program.
With the EVgo Rewards program, you get 50 points just for logging in the first time on the EVgo app. You then get five points for every $1 you spend charging your EV. Once you reach 2,000 points, you get a $10 charging credit. So, you basically get $10 in free charging for every $400 you spend.
You also earn 25 bonus points on your birthday, plus 5 points for every share, tweet, or retweet on social (up to 30 points per month) and each page view (up to 30 points per month).
When it comes to rewards, EVgo vs. ChargePoint doesn’t offer much of a comparison. As of March 2022, ChargePoint has no rewards program.
Mobile Apps
There is a mobile app for everything, and EV charging is no exception. EVgo and ChargePoint each have their own apps that help make owning and charging an EV easier.
ChargePoint Mobile App
The ChargePoint mobile app offers a wide range of features, including:
- Finding available charging stations
- Acting as a payment method
- Notifying you when your car is charged
- Showing you user-submitted charging station pictures
- Displaying helpful tips from other drivers who’ve charged at a station
- Tracking home charging
- Integration with Amazon Alexa, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, Apple Watch, and Google Wear OS
EVgo Mobile App
EVgo also offers a robust mobile app on iOS and Android. It allows you to:
- Locate chargers and view their real-time availability
- Monitor your charging session, including estimated cost, battery level, estimated charging time remaining
- Earn reward points for charging
- See a summary of your charging session
- Reserve an EVgo charger
- Contact the EVgo customer support
Automaker Partnerships
EV charging networks also develop partnerships with a number of automakers and offer owners of their vehicles special deals and features. Here’s what you can expect from EVgo vs. ChargePoint.
ChargePoint Automaker Partnerships
ChargePoint has a wide range of automotive partners, but its partnerships are integrated with the vehicles’ in-dash infotainment systems instead of special incentives. Its partners include:
- BMW
- General Motors
- FIAT
- Honda
- Hyundai
- Jaguar
- Kia
- Land Rover
- Mercedes-Benz
- Mitsubishi
- Nissan
- Polestar
- smart
- Toyota
- Volvo
- Volkswagen
EVgo Automaker Partnerships
EVgo is more generous with its automaker programs, offering special deals to select vehicle owners. Its partners and the incentives are as follows:
- Nissan: $250 in charging credits for buying or leasing a LEAF or $500 in credit for buying or leasing an ARIYA
- BMW: $100 in charging credits for buying or leasing a full-electric BMW model
EVgo also partners with Hyundai, but it only offers infotainment system integration. It partners with Tesla as well to offer infotainment integration and over 600 integrated Tesla connectors at existing charging stations for those times when the Tesla Supercharger isn’t an option.
EVgo and ChargePoint Alternatives
EVgo and ChargePoint are leaders in the EV charging space, but there are plenty of alternatives if you can’t find an open charger. Some of these alternative charging networks include:
- Blink Charging
- Volta
- Electrify America
- Greenlots
EVgo vs. Chargepoint: It All Comes Down to Location
When deciding on EVgo vs. ChargePoint, they both have positives and negatives. Ultimately, with its rewards programs, predictable pricing, and membership discounts, EVgo is the better option if you live near its chargers.
On the other hand, ChargePoint has chargers in all the major areas and even in some more rural locations. With its convenient locations, ChargePoint may be your best bet.
If you’re still hunting for the perfect EV for you, let Compare.com help with our powerful EV search tool. We can also help you make an educated decision with our comprehensive EV buying guide.
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