AAA Adds EV Charging Station Locations to Digital Mapping Tools

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Mar 16, 2012, 09:36 ET

AAA's TripTik Travel Planner and TripTik Mobile app alleviate range anxiety for electric vehicle drivers.

ORLANDO, Fla., March 16, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- To help early 1900s motorists plan their fuel stops, AAA marked gas station locations on early strip maps. Jump ahead a century and, today, AAA helps ease range anxiety for EV drivers by identifying charging station locations in its digital mapping tools.

With a choice of the TripTik® Travel Planner on AAA.com or the free AAA TripTik Mobile app for smartphones, finding places to recharge electric vehicles before they run out of energy just got easier. Using these tools, EV motorists can locate more than 2,000 publicly available electric vehicle charging stations across the United States, including independent stations and those that are part of a network. Data is supplied by the U.S. Department of Energy.

To find charging stations near an address or along a route, users select a green plug icon to display locations on a map in TripTik Travel Planner or the TripTik Mobile app. Clicking on an icon opens a listing that provides the station address, hours, charger levels and, where available, a telephone number. App users can dial the listed numbers in a single touch to check station availability status.

"From the original strip maps used for road travel to the comprehensive array of print, online and mobile travel planning tools offered today, AAA has been providing motorists with relevant and accurate travel information for more than a century," said Bill Wood, managing director, AAA Travel Publishing. "The addition of electric vehicle charging station locations to our digital mapping tools reinforces AAA's commitment to providing members the information they need in formats they want."

AAA's online and mobile mapping tools also display gas station locations, along with frequently updated gas prices, and points of interest, such as AAA Diamond Rated hotels and restaurants. They also offer turn-by-turn directions and location information for user-entered addresses and other points of interest including attractions, events, AAA offices and Approved Auto Repair shops. The app can recalculate routes and provide voice guidance for the next maneuver.

All travelers can access AAA's TripTik Travel Planner at AAA.com/travel. Smartphone users can download the free GPS-based AAA TripTik Mobile app from the iTunes Store or Android Market, or find more information at AAA.com/Mobile.

Additional GPS-based apps include AAA Discounts, which displays nearby member discount locations and AAA Roadside, which enables members who need roadside rescue to send AAA their location, vehicle description and breakdown details. The AAA Insurance app guides users on what to do immediately after a traffic collision, and AAA Auto Buying Tools helps prospective buyers build their ideal car and view pricing, ratings, AAA reviews and more.

As North America's largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides more than 53 million members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services. Since its founding in 1902, the not-for-profit, fully tax-paying AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers. AAA clubs can be visited on the Internet at AAA.com.

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SOURCE AAA