How can we help?

We are always striving to make PUMP the most easy to use EV charge planning and navigation service available on the market. But sometimes things just don't work as expected. Please check our FAQs below first and in case we haven't covered your question or issue yet, feel free to contact our support

Frequently Asked Questions

General

  • • I am a first time user - what can PUMP do for me?
    PUMP makes finding public chargers as simple as possible. When starting PUMP for the first time you choose your specific car and from that point on, you only see chargers that are compatible with your car. Second, PUMP supports different use cases: finding chargers in your vicinity, while being on a trip or at your destination. At any point you can lookup chargers right on the map including all the important details of a charging station including its availability over the course of a specific day. Third, you can always plan a complete trip with PUMP including all the required charging stops.
    Last modified: 8/6/2022
  • • What's the difference between PUMP and PUMP Pro?

    PUMP

    The fastest charge planner
    • Find the best charging stations for your EV - over 300.000 charge points in Europe
    • Calculate the complete charge plan for your trip
    • Connect PUMP with your car* und always check your current battery level
    • Avoid specific chargers and charging operators
    • Real-time info for charging stations and their utilization
    • Push notifications on the status of charging stations

      *) Only supported brands

    Free

    PUMP Pro

    All of PUMP plus
    • Live navigation and Apple CarPlay support
    • More options for your route planning
    • More details about the planned route such as altitude profile, calculated consumption or weather
    • All your vehicles in one app
    • Prefer specific chargers and charging operators
    • Pay once and share PUMP with your family via Apple Family Sharing
    • Premium Support
    • And the first week is on us :)

    € 4.99 a month or
    € 49.99 a year -20%

    Last modified: 8/6/2022
  • • What benefits do I have as a Aiways driver?
    As a an Aiways driver you can benefit from the advantages of our partnership with Aiways:
    • Use the fast live connection of your vehicle with PUMP.
    • Connect your vehicle with your Aiways account and use PUMP Pro 3 months free of charge.
    • Benefit from new features that we will introduce together with Aiways in the future.
    Last modified: 8/19/2022
  • • PUMP shows an empty list when I try to select my vehicle
    Please make sure that you have good connectivity on your phone. If the issue still persists, try to kill the app and start it again. If that doesn't help either, simply delete the app from your smartphone and reinstall it again. In case your pro membership is not shown after the reinstall, just restore your pro membership in the subscription screen.
    Last modified: 8/18/2022
  • • Are you supporting Android?
    Simple answer: not at the moment. We are aware, that many Android users would like to use PUMP on their phone, but given our current capabilities we still have to focus on iOS at the moment.
    Last modified: 8/6/2022
  • • Are you supporting specific charging services or charging cards?
    PUMP does not know about specific charging services like EnBW Mobility+, Shell Recharge, etc. We are focusing with our service on the actual charging operators or CPOs in the first place, because EV drivers usually have their preferred operator when doing public charging. If you are in doubt when it comes to a specific charging service, lookup the charger in the app of your preferred charging service and check if they support it. Nowadays, charging services usually have such a huge coverage, which typically overlaps with the chargers listed by PUMP.
    Last modified: 8/6/2022

Subscription

  • • How can I change my subscription?
    All your subscriptions are managed by Apple directly. You have to open your Apple account in the settings or the AppStore and open the subscription settings. In there you can stop a subscription by removing the auto renewal or change it from monthly to yearly or vice versa.
    Last modified: 8/6/2022
  • • How can I share my subscription with my family or houshold
    Family sharing is a feature of PUMP that is enabled by enabling Family Sharing in your Apple Account and adding your respective family or household members to your account. Just open your Apple Account in the iPhone settings or the AppStore, open the Family Sharing section and add the family or household members.
    Last modified: 8/6/2022
  • • I want to test drive PUMP Pro. Ist this possible?
    Every PUMP Pro subscription comes standard with a 7 days trial period. During that time you can use PUMP for free. In case you don't like it, just deactivate the subscription renewal in your AppStore account and nothing will be charged. After 7 days, the payed pro subscription starts.
    Last modified: 8/6/2022
  • • Can I also charge with PUMP?
    You can now also charge with PUMP. We support an growing number of charging providers in our app, which you can use directly without a contract at the prices of the respective provider. Simply pay with ApplePay or a credit card in the app. Please make sure that we issue your invoice to the desired address in case you want to claim your charging process for tax purposes. To do this, you can simply store or change your address accordingly in your Apple account.
    Last modified: 3/14/2023
  • • Where can I charge?
    On the home screen there is a button with which you can display all stations supported by us in your area.
    Last modified: 3/14/2023
  • • Why do you debit an amount before I even charge?
    As with other providers, we reserve a certain amount on the payment medium, as we have to check whether the payment method used is valid and works at all before starting the charging process. This amount will of course be offset against the final amount or refunded if the charging process was not carried out or there was a technical problem.
    Last modified: 3/14/2023
  • • Do you also charge a blocking fee?
    Depending on the charging provider, we also pass on the applicable blocking fees. You will find them before the start of the actual charging process at the respective charging point you have selected.
    Last modified: 3/14/2023

Route Planning

  • • How do I plan my next trip with PUMP?
    When planning a trip, there are typically two phases to consider: before the trip and doing the actual trip.

    Before the Trip (optional)
    Even before getting into your car, it's always a good idea to check on the phone what your planned trip looks like by entering your destination and if necessary your start. Set your battery charge to the level you are planning to start with and hit the "Plan Trip" on your phone. By that you get an idea of how many charging stops you required, what operators are selected and what your total travel and charging time looks like.

    Doing the actual trip
    When you are ready to go, just enter your destination and plan your actual trip. Keep in mind that the trip could look a bit different this time as the weather or traffic changes. In case your car is connected to PUMP, we already know your current battery level. If not, just set your current level and replan. You can always prefer and avoid certain operators.
    If your car supports CarPlay, your trip shows up on your infotainment and you can start your navigation. No matter if you use the app or CarPlay, you always see your next charger in the display and your expected battery level at your next stop. While arriving at your next charging stop, charge the car to the recommended battery level and continue your trip. If you decided to charge shorter or longer for whatever reason, make sure you are recalculating your next stop by stoping the current session and recalculate your trip either on the phone or in CarPlay. Repeat those steps until you arrive at your destination.

    Routing Options
    At PUMP we have selected a couple of defaults while calculating trips for you: the start and arrival battery level or at a charge stop. Should we avoid highways or toll roads? You always find those options in the general Routing Option section of the menu or within the Routing Options of your selected car. Make sure you adjust those to your needs before planning a trip.
    Last modified: 8/6/2022
  • • Why couldn't PUMP calculate a route?
    Sometimes we can't calculate a route given your input. There are many reasons why this might be the case and it is not always the end of the story. Let's look at the main reasons and how to avoid this from happening.

    No chargers available in a certain area
    Most of the time when this happens, you are trying to find a route in an area with not enough chargers or chargers missing in our data base. Even though we have more than 150.000 charging stations in our database, there is still a chance of a few areas in Europe which are not covered yet or are yet not sufficiently supported. If this is the case, check the respective area on our map and get an idea if chargers are available or not. Sometimes it could help to nudge PUMP into the right direction: if there is an option to take a different route with better coverage or to an off-route charger, add a waypoint that makes PUMP considering a different route and plan again.

    Too limiting battery settings
    The second most common reason for a failed trip are too demanding battery level settings, be it at the start, at charging stops or the destination. Make sure to start with the highest battery level possible, try not to arrive with a to high battery level at your destination or a charging stop. In other words, try to maximize your range. If you are worried to arrive at your destination with a too low battery level, just check if there are slow chargers at your destination which you can use to recharge over night.

    Too low charge level at the start
    A special problem is the start of a route with too low charge level: PUMP always looks for a route on the direct way to the destination and only accepts small detours for possible charge stops. This is not a problem on a normal trip, but at the start of a route it can lead to no charge stop being found if the battery level is too low. In this case, first look for a suitable charging station in the area, charge there first and then plan your further trip as normal.
    Last modified: 8/7/2022
  • • Can I choose an alternative route?
    At this point we don't offer alternative routes while planning a trip. This is something we are working on right now. In the meantime, there is a workaround available: waypoints. In PUMP Pro you can add waypoints to you trip, which will help PUMP to calculate an alternative route to your destination. Sometimes it's enough to just add another waypoint to achieve the route you wanted to see in the first place.
    Last modified: 8/6/2022
  • • How can I prefer or avoid certain chargers or charging providers?
    This is one of the main ways to influence the charge planning: below the charge planning, the list of relevant providers on the route is displayed and you can adjust it according to your preferences. Slide a switch to the left if you want to avoid certain providers or slide a switch to the right if you favor that provider. PUMP will then follow your preferences in the further planning. In certain cases it can still happen that a provider you want to avoid is included in the planning. The reason for this is simple: if there is no reasonable alternative, PUMP will use this provider to calculate at least one route. In addition, you can explicitly avoid chargers chosen by us to look for an alternative or choose a charger on the route yourself. To do this, zoom in on the map until we show you the alternatives, select a charger and add it to the route.
    Last modified: 8/28/2022
  • • How can I influence the charging strategy?
    There are basically two different strategies for planning routes with an electric car: with as few but long stops as possible or with more but shorter stops. What is the difference and how do I follow each strategy?

    Electric cars usually charge with a non-constant charging curve. This means that the charging rate is much higher when the battery level is low than when it is high. The rule of thumb is that the time to charge to 80% is about the same as the time needed to charge the last 20%. Therefore, one uses the full battery capacity only on the first section, where the vehicle can be charged up to 100% before departure without having to wait for a long time. On the following sections, therefore, no more than 80% should be charged.

    Strategy: few but long stops
    With this strategy, you want to make few stops and drive longer sections. In return, it is accepted that the respective charging stop may well be longer. If you charge up to 80%, it will take 30-45 minutes, depending on the vehicle. In PUMP, this is achieved by setting the maximum charge level at the charge stop to e.g. 80% in the settings - route options. Higher values are of course possible but not really recommended due to the then very long charging time. In case we are not planning your charge at a stop to your needs, simply charge up your car as desired and replan your trip from there with your intended charging level.

    Strategy: many, but shorter stops
    With this strategy, you accept more stops, but charge very briefly until the optimum charge level is reached, at which point the vehicle's charging speed decreases more sharply. This depends on the vehicle and can be adjusted in PUMP in the settings - route options. Here, the maximum charge level at the charge stop is set to e.g. 60%, which usually still allows a high charge speed. In the end, such a stop is then rather 15 min long and is at least enough for a walk to the toilet or a short coffee.
    Last modified: 8/16/2022
  • • How is PUMP selecting chargers along a route?
    At PUMP we choose the best chargers based on set of criteria, something you typically can not do manually by just looking at a map. Without going too much into the technical details, here are a few of the criteria we use while finding the most appropriate chargers for your trip:
    • the consumption of the car and by that the achievable range
    • the detour required to reach the charger
    • your preferred and avoided operators
    • the charging profile of your car i.e. the max charging speed
    • the reliability of a charger
    • the number of chargers / charge points at a locations, the more the better
    In the end we rank all possible chargers for your next stop and pick the best given those criteria.
    Last modified: 8/6/2022
  • • Can I filter chargers on the map according to their speed?
    PUMP is know for its simplicity. One of the things we try to avoid wherever possible are permanent filters and settings. Our approach is different: when viewing the map, your zoom level determines which chargers are shown. If you zoom out, you only see Hyperchargers above 150 kW. The more you zoom in, slower chargers will be shown and on the city level you see all chargers including slow chargers with 11-22 kW and below. On top, its your car that determines which chargers are shown on the map. In addition, you have the possibility to search for charger categories (Fast Charger, Hypercharger, etc.) or for the maximum power (e.g. 150kW and faster).
    Last modified: 8/6/2022
  • • My car can charge with up to 200 kW - Why did you choose slower charger?
    Well, the simple answer is, there are no other chargers available. PUMP is always trying to select the most appropriate chargers based on several criteria, one of them being maximum charging speed. In case we are missing an available charger, feel free to manually add a charger on the route by zooming in and selecting the respective charger.
    Last modified: 8/6/2022
  • • Can I make PUMP to only choose chargers with 4 and more stalls?
    Similar to the charging speed, people want us to select only charging spots with more than 4 stalls as an example. We actually have such a criteria already build into our trip planner, but sometimes it is simply not possible to satisfy that criteria, so we have to go back and choose the second best charging spot which might have less stalls.
    Last modified: 8/6/2022
  • • Why do you show me Tesla Supercharger even though I don't drive a Tesla?
    Since some time Tesla has changed its Supercharger network in Europe for other brands. This does not affect the whole network but increasingly more locations. These are very easy to use via the Tesla app. If you still don't want to include Tesla Superchargers in your route planning, just deselect them in the trip below. More details on Tesla SuperChargers can be found here.
    Last modified: 8/28/2022
  • • How do you calculate the consumption of my vehicle?
    While calculating individual trips we always use vehicle specific consumption models that represent the consumption of the vehicle at a certain speed and temperature. On top, we are also considering the height profile of the route. In addition, you have the possibility to adjust your consumption in the Routing Options, due to a higher than normal speed, a heavy trailer or roof box that increases the air resistance of your car.
    Last modified: 8/6/2022

  • • How do I use PUMP with a different navigation app?
    You don't have to use the build in navigation when using PUMP, but you are for obvious reason losing the ability to monitor your battery level at your destination and the real time view on your next charger. If you still want to use apps like Apple or Google Maps, just click on the share button at a specific location, charger or in the route and your next waypoint or the complete route is used as a destination in the respective app. Please note that in Apple Maps you have to set your starting point back to your current location to use the navigation in Apple Maps. Unfortunately, this is a limitation of Apple.
    Last modified: 8/6/2022
  • • Is PUMP recalculating my plan if I can't reach the next charger?
    Yes, if your SoC at your next stop is below 4%, PUMP asks you if you want to recalculate the route looking for a new charger.
    Last modified: 8/6/2022
  • • How can I skip a charger?
    Currently you can not skip a specific charger in your plan. We will support this feature in the future. As a workaround you can always stop your current session and manually trigger a recalculation which will then consider your current battery level and eventually chooses a different charger.
    Last modified: 8/6/2022
  • • Can I select or avoid a specific charger in my trip plan?
    Starting with version 1.3.2 of the app, this is possible. Select a specific charger and press "Avoid" or search for an alternative charger on the route by zooming in and "Prefer" the selected charger.
    Last modified: 8/6/2022
  • • How can I add waypoints or add a return trip?
    Create a plan to your first destination. Tap on the start or the destination and add additional waypoints, reorder them or add a return trip.
    Last modified: 8/9/2022

Map Display

  • • How can I find chargers of a specific charging operator in PUMP
    This is pretty simple: just enter the charging operator name into the search box and boom, the map shows only chargers of that operator. This feature also works with charger categories like Hypercharger (>100kW), Fastcharger (>50kW), Tesla Supercharger or Tesla Destination Charging.
    Last modified: 8/6/2022
  • • What's the meaning of the different charger colors on the map?
    The chargers displayed on the map or in a trip are color coded according to a simple color scheme which gives information about the state of the charger:

    Green = The charger still has at least one free charging point.
    Red = All charging points of the charger are currently occupied
    Red with a white cross = The charger is out of service
    Teal = No current status information is available for this charger
    Chargers with a lightning bolt are fast chargers > 50 kW

    At the lowest zoom level of the map only fast chargers with > 150 kW are shown. The further you zoom into the map, the slower chargers are also displayed. When you are at the highest zoom level, the charging points and the operator of the charger are displayed.
    Last modified: 8/16/2022

Vehicles & Connectivity

  • • Looks like you do not support my vehicle model or brand. What can I do?
    In general we are supporting all current fully-electric EV brands and models in Europe. Plugin-hybrid EVs or PHEVs are currently not supported as the charge planning doesn't make sense in case of a PHEV. In case you can't find your vehicle in our database, please contact us via the feedback in the settings. We will make sure to add missing vehicles if needed.
    When it comes to specific models which seem to be missing in our database, here are a few tips how to select the right model:
    • Specific vehicle models have different battery sizes. Those are typically part of the model name like Hyundai Ioniq 5 RWD 72kWh
    • Some vehicles have different charging option like only AC charging support or a different charging power. In such cases we have multiple vehicle models available that support the different options. Those are named with AC or 50kW.
    • Sometimes the model name changes over time and is not yet reflected in PUMP. In those cases use the most appropriate alternative based on model year and model name.
    Last modified: 8/28/2022
  • • How can I change my vehicle in PUMP?
    Using multiple vehicles at the same time in PUMP requires a Pro subscription. If you want to change your vehicle press the "More" button on the home screen above your vehicle to add a new or select an already added vehicle. If you are not a Pro user and you want to change your vehicle, you have to delete the current vehicle first and select a new one.
    Last modified: 8/28/2022
  • • What are the supported connected vehicle brands?
    We are currently supporting vehicle connections from the following brands:
    • Aiways
    • Audi
    • Citroën
    • Cupra
    • Dacia
    • Hyundai
    • Kia
    • Opel
    • Peugeot
    • Renault
    • Seat
    • Skoda
    • Tesla
    • VW
    Last modified: 6/3/2023
  • • What do I need to be able to connect my vehicle?
    If you own an EV that is supported by PUMP, you simply use the same account you use in the official app of the manufacturer. This is typically an account email and the associated password. We are not storing your credentials on our server, but use the authentication that is provided by the manufacturer.
    Last modified: 8/6/2022
  • • I can't connect my vehicle. What can I do?
    In case we can not connect your car, please check the login credentials, typically your account email and password. If you are still not successful, please contact our support. In case you are an Volkswagen ID owner, you have to activate the "Automatic Service Appointment" option in your WeConnect app in order to receive live updates in PUMP.
    Last modified: 8/6/2022
  • • Is the online connection to my vehicle secure?
    We use the same connection that is used by the official apps of the manufacturer. We are just reading data and do not actively modify the state of your vehicle. For more details please check out our privacy policy.
    Last modified: 8/6/2022
  • • What happens with my data?
    We only retrieve and store data from your vehicle that is necessary to provide the service you can use in PUMP. More specifically we don't track and store the location of the connected vehicle. In case you decide to delete the vehicle in PUMP, the connection to your car is deleted as well. For more details please check out our privacy policy.
    Last modified: 8/6/2022

Settings & Options

  • • Can you explain the various Routing Options?
    The Routing Options function offers a couple of options used during route planning. Those include certain defaults being used or options to influence the selection of certain routes.

    Operators (App Settings)
    With this option you can select specific charging point operators or CPOs that are shown by default in the list of CPOs to prefer or avoid in a concrete route. The CPOs selected here are always shown in that list including the once being selected for a specific route.

    Show Enhanced Trip Details (App Settings)
    This switch enables more detailed infos in a route leg like the calculated consumption, the considered temperature and the height profile of that route section. Those details give you a better idea of the planning parameters being used for the current plan. If the assumed consumption is either to high or to low based on your own experience, you can for example adjust the consumption with the respective setting above.

    Avoid Setting (App Settings)
    In case you want to avoid highways, toll roads or ferries on your trip, use the respective switch to turn those on and off.
    Departure State of Charge
    This is the default battery level used when calculating a trip and you are not using an online connection to your vehicle.

    Arrival State of Charge (Vehicle Details)
    This is the battery level at your destination while calculating a route. Increase this value if there is no charging station available at your destination.

    Charge Stop Arrival State of Charge (Vehicle Details)
    This is the battery level we consider at your charge stops. If you are more experienced with PUMP and your car, you might lower this value in order to achieve a higher range. If you are unsure about your vehicle range, you might want to increase this value.

    Charging limit at the charging stop (Vehicle Details)
    This is the maximum battery level during charging, which we take into account when planning your route. However, we may fall below the charging limit due to your charging curve. In this case, charge at the respective stop for as long as you want and replan the rest of your route.

    Adjust Consumption (Vehicle Details)
    Even though we use specific consumption models for your selected vehicle, you might want to increase or decrease the consumption of your car based on your driving style, speed or additional weight of the car.
    Last modified: 8/6/2022

Things you probably haven't tried yet

  • • Filter chargers based on your map zoom level
    PUMP is know for its simplicity. One of the things we try to avoid wherever possible are permanent filters and settings. Our approach is different: when viewing the map, your zoom level determines which chargers are shown. If you zoom out, you only see Hyperchargers above 150 kW. The more you zoom in, slower chargers will be shown and on the city level you see all chargers including slow chargers with 11-22 kW and below. On top, its your car that determines which chargers are shown on the map.
    Last modified: 8/6/2022
  • • Charger categories on the home screen
    In order to quickly find charger of a certain category, we have added 3 categories of chargers on the home screen: Fastcharging, Shop & Charge and Free Charging. Choose one of those categories to just see chargers of that type.
    Zulegt geändert: 6/8/2022
  • • Search for chargers of a specific operator
    This is a neat little feature: just enter the charging operator name into the search box and boom, the map shows only chargers of that operator. This feature also works with charger categories like Hypercharger (>100kW), Fastcharger (>50kW), Tesla Supercharger or Tesla Destination Charging.
    Last modified: 8/6/2022
  • • Store your favorite chargers on the home screen
    To access your favorite chargers quickly, mark a charger as your favorite and access them directly from the home screen.
    Zulegt geändert: 6/8/2022
  • • Get real time notifications of you next charger
    Imagine you driving to a charger and you want to make sure that this charger is still available when you arrive. A similar use case is waiting for a charger in your vicinity to become available. Be the first to get to know. Just open the charger in PUMP and hit the bell button. You can now choose to get real time notifications until you arrive at the charger, continuously or for the next 30 or 60 minutes. We only notify you when not charge point is available anymore. Last modified: 8/6/2022
  • • Find chargers at your destination
    Finding chargers at your destination is pretty straight forward: just enter your destination and PUMP will show you the next 6 available chargers in the vicinity. Combined with the notification feature you can easily make sure to find an available charger when you arrive.
    Last modified: 8/6/2022
  • • Adjust the consumption of your car
    When planning a route, we take into account the average speed that is usually driven on a route due to speed limits, road works and other influences. This of course has a significant impact on the consumption of your vehicle. If you drive faster than usual or if your vehicle has a higher consumption than assumed due to a trailer or a roof box, you can correct your consumption up or down accordingly in the route options. It is best to use empirical values here. A roof box or a trailer cause e.g. a 20-30% higher consumption.
    Last modified: 8/18/2022

Feedback

  • • How can I provide feedback?
    Depending on what you want to tell us, there are several ways to reach out to us.

    General app feedback or feature request
    Just use the in-app feedback function in the main menu.

    Trip feedback
    Scroll down in the trip and hit the feedback button. Part of your feedback is a link to the respective trip which gives us a chance to look at it in more detail.

    Charger feedback
    While looking at a specific charger you can send us your feedback regarding this charger via the feedback button. If a charger is missing in PUMP, use the standard feedback function.
    Last modified: 8/6/2022
  • • I am missing a specific charger in PUMP. What can I do?
    We are always interested to learn from you about missing charging networks or specific chargers. Just send us your feedback via the PUMP menu. If you are a charging operator, we are always open to include your network into PUMP. For quality reasons, we typically prefer direct connection to operators rather than going thru an aggregator.
    Last modified: 8/6/2022
Do you have any further questions? Contact our support