If you live in the United States and drive an electric car, your options to stop at a fast charging station are limited - unless of course your car has a Tesla badge on it. Tesla's supercharger network is widespread across the country and even in certain parts of Europe. Not to be outdone by the upstart electric car maker, BMW, Ford, Mercedes, and Volkswagen have joined forces to create their own line of fast charging stations. The project won't be complete until 2020, but one of VW's subsidiaries, Porsche, has its own way of improving the EV charging experience.

Porsche has just launched what it calls the "Porsche Charging Service." This digital service is designed to make life easier for EV and plug-in hybrid drivers.

The app can tie in with the built-in Porsche navigation system to find the nearest charging station, then use centrally stored data to handle the payment process across multiple countries and currencies. The app is free to download, and can alert drivers of the cost of charging their vehicle, in real time. At the charging station, users can identify themselves using a QR code on the app or with their "Porsche ID card", which is given free of charge after registering for the service. Currently the service is available in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium and Finland, with more countries set to be added by the end of 2018.

This service will be extremely important when the brand launches its first EV: the Taycan. For now, plug-in hybrid versions of the Cayenne and Panamera will benefit from the service. Interestingly, the app can also be utilized by other plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles, even if they don't carry the Porsche crest.