If you drive an EV, you know it’s not the best feeling when you pull up to a charging station only to find it full, broken, or otherwise unavailable. That’s where the Octopus Electroverse live availability feature comes in! It removes uncertainty, helping you plan smarter, travel further, and charge with confidence. In this blog we cover what live availability is, how it works and how to use it!
Let’s get plugged in…
Live availability is a real-time indicator of whether a specific charger is currently free, in use, or sometimes “out of service”. Rather than just seeing where chargers are, you see which ones you actually might be able to use right now.
The simple answer is: you can see if a charger is free before you get there!
Say you’re out on the road and your passenger is checking the Electroverse app for nearby chargers, and they can see in the Electroverse app that all of the chargers at your nearest charging station are unavailable but the ones down the road are available, you can make the easy decision to head to the available chargers! Increase your charging efficiency by plugging in immediately, rather than waiting for a charger that’s currently being used.
The main reasons the live availability feature is beneficial are:
Avoid wasted trips - you don’t need to go out of your way to find a free charger!
Reduced waiting time - why wait at a busy charger when you can find an available one!
Less stress - if you’re running low on charge and want to find a free charger ASAP, you can!
Peace of mind - when you’re in the middle of nowhere, you don’t have to gamble on there being a free charger, you already know there is one!
Step 1: To start your journey, head into the Electroverse app map.
Step 2: Tap the charging pin you’re planning on travelling to! (Don’t forget to stop driving if you’re going on your phone, or ask a kind passenger to help out!)
Step 3: You’re now in the charger information tab! Here you can see how many chargers are available at the top (it will say something along the lines of “3/5 available”), or scroll down to the individual chargers and check their availability status!
Still not sure where to find live availability? Follow along below:
When you look at the individual chargers in the charger information tab, they will be colour coded and labelled! Check out what the colours and labels mean below:
Available - If the charger is available, it will appear green and will be labelled “Available”.
Occupied - If the charger is unavailable due to currently being used, it will appear orange and will be labelled “Occupied”.
Out of order - If someone in the Electroverse community has reported a charger issue which deems it out of order, the charger will appear grey with the label “Out of order”.
Always refresh the charger status when you’re near your destination (one of the ways you can do this is by reloading the Electroverse app!).
Real-time availability means it can change fast!
Combine live availability with what you need
Even if a charger is free, if it’s the only one in town and your battery is running low, it might be worth heading to a site with a few available chargers.
Please share feedback when you see incorrect data
We are always working on making features the best we can for you, so if we can improve the app, tell us and we’ll do our best!
Delay and accuracy - Real-time availability is only as good as the data provided by the charger. Sometimes the status might lag or be incorrect, especially if a charger goes offline or is being repaired.
Coverage gaps - Some charge point operator networks may not provide full live status data everywhere, so some chargers might still show as available even if they’re not.
Overall, however, the live availability feature in Octopus Electroverse transforms uncertainty into predictability! It’s not just about seeing where chargers are - it’s about knowing which ones you can use now, helping drivers save time, reduce stress, and make journeys with electric vehicles more hassle-free.
So, if you haven’t checked out this feature in the Electroverse app yet, give it a go on your next trip - it might just make all the difference!
Live charger availability shows the real-time status of chargers at a location - whether they’re available, occupied, or out of order. This lets you know if you can plug in right away before you even arrive!
By checking the Electroverse app, you can avoid driving to a charger that’s already in use or broken. This helps cut: waiting times, wasted detours, and helps you make smarter charging decisions on the go.
Simply open the map in the Electroverse app, tap on a charger location, and view the charger information tab. You’ll see how many chargers are available (e.g. 3/5 available) and the status of each individual charger.
Available (green): The charger is free to use.
Occupied (orange): The charger is currently in use.
Out of order (grey): The charger has been reported as faulty or unavailable.
The Electroverse app relies on data provided by charge point operators. While updates are real-time, there may occasionally be short delays, gaps, or inaccurate reports if a charger goes offline.
Not all charge point operators share live data. In some cases, you may only see charger locations without live status. Electroverse is continually expanding live coverage across networks to make real-time updates more widely available.
Refresh the charger status before arriving, especially if the location is busy. Consider heading to stations with multiple available chargers if your battery is running low. And if you notice incorrect information, report it through the app so it can be improved.
It helps reduce stress, avoid wasted trips, and gives peace of mind when driving long distances or in unfamiliar areas. With live updates, drivers can plan routes more efficiently and charge with confidence!
Feeling enlightened, or do you think something was missing? Let us know by sharing your feedback.
Interested in learning more? Head over to our Electroverse Community area for more electrifying content.