Volta EV Charging Station Near Me

Introduction to the Volta EV Charging Network

Volta is an EV charging network that provides free-to-use Level 2 chargers. There are also a few relatively low-powered Level 3 fast chargers.

Volta was initially set up in San Francisco in 2010. You'll typically find them in parking lots outside grocery stores and other on-site businesses, where the site owners make money indirectly. For example, if an EV driver wants to do their weekly shopping, they'll be tempted to go to the one that charges their vehicle for free while they shop.

Volta is unique in that it's investing in communities. Although most of their chargers are Level 2 and relatively slow, it's a fantastic image of what might be in store for the average driver in the future.

Number of Volta Charging Stations in the US

Volta has about 3,000 charging points spread across the US, at around 1,300 charging stations. These charging stations are concentrated in densely populated corners of the United States. In particular, there is a significant number in California, Washington State, Chicago, Boston, and Washington DC.

How to Find Volta Charging Stations

As mentioned above, most of Volta's charging stations are in a few select locations. However, there are a few others spread out across the country.

To look for a Volta charging station near you, you could use Volta's online map or app (downloadable on the App Store and Google Play).

Alternatively, check out the free EV charging point map at Electrly. It contains information from many different charging networks, all available for you to peruse at the same time.

How to Use Volta Charging Stations

Volta charging stations are much the same as any other EV charging network. However, because they're free, fewer identifying steps are involved.

You simply drive up, unplug the connector, and attach it to the port on your car.

All the Level 2 stations have the standard J1772 connector, compatible with most EVs. If you drive a Tesla, you'll need the adapter that should have been supplied with your vehicle.

You'll need the app if you're using one of Volta's few DC fast chargers (DCFCs or Level 3 chargers). Tap "Check In" on the relevant charger number on your phone screen, then plug the connector into your car.

Note that some DC Volta charge points have a time limit.

Charging Speeds of Volta Charging Stations

Most Level 2 Volta charging stations charge at between 6 kW and 10 kW. Ignoring inefficiencies and charging losses, this means you'll gain between 6 kWh and 10 kWh in your battery per hour. (That's about 20 or 30 real miles per hour.)

Level 3 fast chargers in the Volta network vary between 50 kW and 100 kW. Again, ignoring the charging losses, your battery will be topped up by 50 kWh and 100 kWh per hour, respectively. At a real-world economy of 3 miles/kWh, that's between 150 and 300 miles of real-life range each hour.

Costs of Using a Volta Charging Station

Volta doesn't advertise its costs online, but the vast majority are free. A small fee is involved if you leave your car plugged into a DC fast charger for too long. This goes a long way to encourage people to unplug and make room once they've got enough juice in the batteries.

How to Pay at a Volta Charging Station

You'll probably need to pay at Volta's DC Fast stations. The easiest way to do this is via the app.

1. Sign in and go to 'Settings'.
2. Add a payment method. You can use any of the following:
   1. a. Most major debit cards
   2. b. Most major credit cards
   3. c. Apple Pay
   4. d. Google Pay

Don't worry if you see a $1 expense on your account. This is a standard authorization and will disappear eventually.