After you have found an available charger that meets your needs, you can start charging right away!
You have a few options to start a charge. The below methods are listed in order of what usually gets our drivers charging the most quickly. You can select any method below to jump to a section with basic steps to get started!
- Autocharge+
- Start a charge from the EVgo app - #1 recommended!
- Tap your EVgo RFID program card on the charging station
- Use the credit card reader on the station*
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Call the EVgo Charging Crew for support
- If you decide to call for support, expect to verify your account information, such as your name, email and last 4 digits of your credit card. Please also let the team know about any payment methods you've attempted before you called.
▶ Jump to some general troubleshooting tips from the EVgo Charging Crew
Learn more about what happens when you plug your EV into a DC fast charger from our CTO!
*If you are enrolled in a paid EVgo subscription plan and pay using your credit card at the station, you will not be able to apply your plan benefits to your charging session and the session information (and receipt) will not be available. If you are having trouble starting a charge from the EVgo app or with your RFID program card, we recommend calling the EVgo Charging Crew for support so that your session can be linked to your account.
If you have any other questions or need additional support, please contact us! The EVgo Charging Crew is available for urgent issues by phone 24/7, 365 days a year at 877-494-3833. |
Start a charge with EVgo Autocharge+
Autocharge+ is available for EVs with CCS connectors that support two-way vehicle data sharing.
After you successfully enroll in Autocharge+, your EV will communicate with the charger as soon as you plug the connector into your vehicle. When the EVgo network recognizes that your vehicle is tied to your EVgo account, the charger will start dispensing electrons - no other action needed from you!
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Looking for more information on Autocharge+? Check out our complete guide to EVgo Autocharge+ for detailed steps to enroll plus common questions and tips from the EVgo Charging Crew! |
Start a charge from the EVgo app
The EVgo app is the easiest and most effective way to start your charging session. When you arrive at the station:
- Open the EVgo app on your mobile device
- Tap the station from the suggested nearby charging locations (if location services are enabled)
- Confirm the name or Assest ID of the charger that you intend to use
- Select the appropriate connector for your vehicle
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Insert the connector into your EV’s charge port
- Listen for a click to indicate a successful connection!
- Tap the Start Charging button
- Confirm whether you'd like to receive push notifications about your charging session
If the charger connection is successful, then power will begin flowing to your car and the Charge Monitoring screen will appear in your EVgo app.
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Looking for more thorough instructions? Check out our complete guide to starting a charge with the EVgo app. In the full article, we've included more detailed steps as well as tips from the EVgo Charging Crew! |
Start a charge with your EVgo RFID program card
If you have an EVgo account, you can use your active EVgo RFID program card to quickly start a charge. When you arrive at the charger:
- Select the appropriate connector for your vehicle
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Insert the connector into your EV’s charge port
- Be sure to listen for the click!
- Select the RFID payment option on the charger screen
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Tap your RFID program card where indicated on the charger
- Hold or rub the card to give the RFID reader enough time to recognize the card!
- If you have signed up to receive alerts, you'll be notified that your vehicle has started a charge!
| Looking for more thorough instructions? Check out our complete guide to starting a charge with your RFID program card. In the full article, we've included more detailed steps as well as tips from the EVgo Charging Crew! |
Use the credit card reader on the station
If you do not have an EVgo account, you can usually start a charge at the station itself with your credit card. If you need support starting a charge with your EVgo account, call the EVgo Charging Crew at 877-494-3833.
- Select the appropriate connector for your vehicle
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Insert the connector into your EV’s charge port
- Be sure to listen for the click!
- Select the Credit Card payment option on the charger screen
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Swipe, tap, or insert your credit card at the credit card reader OR at the credit card kiosk
- Some stations do not accept payment outside of the EVgo app or RFID card; if there is no credit card reader, you should call the EVgo Charging Crew for further assistance.
- Enter any information requested on the charger screen
| Looking for more thorough instructions? Check out our complete guide to starting a charge with your credit card at the station. In the full article, we've included more detailed steps as well as tips from the EVgo Charging Crew! |
Learn more about what happens when you plug your EV into a DC fast charger from our CTO!
Common troubleshooting tips from the EVgo Charging Crew:
If a charger is not initiating a session correctly, our team has a few tips you can try depending on why the charge is not starting.
Check your connection:
- Check that the connector is inserted into your vehicle correctly:You should remove the connector and plug back into the charging station, wait a few seconds, and then plug back into your vehicle and listen for a click.
- If you're not sure if you heard a click, check the charger screen. Your vehicle's current state of charge (battery percentage) should appear on the charger screen with a successful connection.
Potential charger issue:
- Check the EVgo app to see if the charger is in maintenance (grayed): Our technicians are working to have any maintenance notices appear on the charger screen itself, but please check for grayed-out stations in the EVgo app to confirm.
- Check the emergency stop button on the charging station: When enabled, the emergency stop must be reset. If it's been pressed, you'll see instructions on the charging station for turning and resetting the button.
Potential vehicle issue:
- If the battery is completely dead or below 20%, fast charging may not be unavailable as many vehicles will only accept slower charge rates to protect the battery. You may need to recharge at an L2 charger or a wall outlet with your adapter.
- For older vehicles or other vehicle issues, call! The EVgo Charging Crew can further investigate and let you know if you need to contact the vehicle manufacturer.
Potential billing blockers:
- If using an RFID program card, you MUST activate it before you can use it to start a charging session.
- You must maintain a positive balance in your EVgo account to start a charging session. While rare, you'll need to ensure an active payment method is added to your account to take care of any negative balance before you can charge with your EVgo account.
- If you see a billing error, but your card on file is correct and up to date, you can try re-adding the payment method to refresh it in your account.
Depending on your charging method, you can also find more troubleshooting tips in our detailed guides:
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When re-attempting to start a charge: If you've identified any of the reasons above for a failed charge attempt, then you'll want to re-attempt the charging session after addressing the issue. Before you start the session with the EVgo app or on the charging unit, you should first:
You can always contact the EVgo Charging Crew if you ever require support with starting a charge. The team is available by phone 24/7, 365 days a year at 877-494-3833. |