Google Maps gets improvements for electric cars (EV): charging stations along route

Google Maps has announced that it is coming with improvements for those with an electric car. It comes with a route planner that adapts to charging stations on the route.

Google Maps for electric cars

Before you go straight to the Google Maps app, the improvements have now only been announced for the electric cars themselves that have the Google Maps system on board. However, we do not consider the chance that the Android app will also come up with this improvement in the long term.

When planning a longer route, Google Maps can take into account charging stations for your electric car, or an EV. This concerns a route that will require at least two charging stops. For this, Maps also looks at, for example, slopes, lengths and heights of roads. Various algorithms are used for this. For example, it can sometimes be more interesting to charge from 20 to 60 percent, than from 60 to 100 or 0 to 40 percent.

Ultimately, it comes down to Google Maps being able to determine the route for you. The most optimal route is presented here. The planning of the route must be done within 10 seconds and the time you spend at charging stops must be as short as possible, that is the intention.

When planning a short route, you can choose from a list of charging stations when navigating. You can also see what the expected loading time will be. In Europe it is also shown which payment methods are accepted. If the information is available, it also shows which services are available. Think of WiFi, a supermarket or another facility.

For now, the functionality is only available to owners of the Polestar 2 and Volvo XC40 Recharge. This should be expanded in the future. We especially hope that Google releases the functionality for the Android app of Maps soon.