Method and apparatus for providing a navigation route with recommended charging

1. A system comprising:

a processor configured to:

discover charging station locations within a predefined proximity to a route for which vehicle-charging is required to complete;

determine a charging cost at each discovered station, including at least battery-damage cost resulting from a charge;

present a plurality of charging stations, including the charging costs and an estimated total route time for each station;

and

present a route including a stop at a station selected by a user.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to expand the predefined proximity until at least two charging stations have been discovered.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the cost includes a stochastic charging cost.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the cost includes a stochastic time cost.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the time cost includes a stochastic travel time cost.

6. The system of claim 4 , wherein the time cost includes a stochastic wait-time cost.

7. The system of claim 4 , wherein the time cost includes a stochastic charging-time cost.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

weight the charging costs and total route time based on user-defined preferences;

determine a total score for each station based on the weighted charging costs and total route time; and

present a station having a lowest total score.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the user-defined preferences include a cost-value assigned to time.

10. A computer-implemented method comprising:

discovering charging station locations within a predefined proximity to a route for which vehicle-charging is required to complete;

determining, via a vehicle-associated computer, a charging cost at each discovered station, including at least battery-damage cost resulting from a charge;

presenting a plurality of charging stations, including the charging costs and an estimated total route time for each station;

and

presenting a route including a stop at a station selected by a user.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising expanding the predefined proximity until at least two charging stations have been discovered.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the cost includes a charging cost.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the cost includes a time cost.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the time cost includes a travel time cost.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the time cost includes a wait-time cost.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the time cost includes a charging-time cost.

17. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

weighting the charging costs and total route time based on user-defined preferences;

determining a total score for each station based on the weighted charging costs and total route time; and

presenting a station having a lowest total score.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the user-defined preferences include a cost-value assigned to time.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

discovering charging station locations within a predefined proximity to a route for which vehicle-charging is required to complete;

determining a charging cost at each discovered station, including at least battery-damage cost resulting from a charge;

presenting a plurality of charging stations, including the charging costs and an estimated total route time for each station;

and

presenting a route including a stop at a station selected by a user.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 19 , wherein the method further comprises:

weighting the charging costs and total route time based on user-defined preferences;

determining a total score for each station based on the weighted charging costs and total route time; and

presenting a station having a lowest total score.