Hi everyone, I wanted to share a tutorial I created that might be helpful for anyone who owns an electric vehicle with a smaller battery, like myself. The problem I faced was always wondering if the next charging station was available without pulling out my phone. After some research and experimentation, I found a solution using HomeyScript and some additional apps. Here’s how I set it up:
Step 1: Setting Up the Charging Stations
I started by adding the charging stations I frequent to the TomTom EV Service app. This app allows you to track the availability of charging points. It’s important to note that TomTom has a limit of 2,500 free API requests per day, so I adjusted the update intervals for each station accordingly to stay within this limit.
Step 2: Integrating Weather Conditions
I wanted the notifications to consider weather conditions, especially rain, since I prefer not to walk far in the rain. I integrated OpenWeather into the script. If it’s raining, the script excludes farther charging stations that might be cheaper but less convenient.
Step 3: Creating the HomeyScript
The heart of the solution is the HomeyScript I developed. It checks the availability of charging stations and sends notifications via Android Auto. The script prioritizes stations based on their IDs and includes weather data to filter out less convenient options when it’s raining.
Step 4: Setting Up Notifications in the Car
To display the notifications while driving, I used the AA Notification Forwarder app. This app forwards notifications from Homey to Android Auto. I also set up Tasker and AutoLocation to trigger the script when I’m near my home or in the car.
Conclusion
This setup has been a game-changer for me, making my commutes much less stressful. I hope this tutorial helps others who are looking for a similar solution. If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to reach out!
Best regards,
[Your Name]