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Google Maps has added EV trip planning for over 350 new cars, bringing new features to potentially millions of electric vehicle users.
The simplified battery prediction feature is now vehicle-specific, helping you plan where to charge and departure/arrival battery levels.
At a time when oil prices are soaring, driving an electric vehicle (EV) might feel like an obvious benefit right now – and a just-added Google Maps upgrade could further benefit millions of EV drivers.
One of the potential perils of driving an electric car is 'range anxiety' – which is something Google Maps' latest update for Android Auto looks to alleviate, by delivering vehicle-specific charging features for a further 350+ models.
You can now add your EV's info into Maps – here's the official how-to, in step-by-step form – which will deliver accurate battery predictions for your specific model (if compatible), including battery estimates upon arrival.
Posted on Google's official blog, the latest Maps update is AI-powered, using "advanced energy models" that analyse your car's details, including weight and battery size, along with Google Maps' real-time traffic and weather information.
Google says this will allow the company to "bring intelligent trip-planning features to most U.S. EVs soon," adding a benefit to hundreds of thousands, potentially even millions of electric vehicle drivers as the user base grows.
Maps is able to offer charging station compatibility, based on your vehicle type, for best availability, optimum charging speeds and pricing, while utilising your provided battery information to predict arrival time and charge level.
The update is targeted at US-based EV users first and foremost, but future expansion will see many more benefit. It's worth adding your EV information into Google Maps now, which is possible worldwide.
Get all the latest news, reviews, deals and buying guides on gorgeous tech, home and active products from the T3 experts
Google has been rolling out a lot of Android Auto updates of late, including the most recent addition of customised car avatars and colours. This latest addition only see it further build its strength as the automotive platform of choice.
Mike is T3's Tech Editor. He's been writing about consumer technology for 15 years and his beat covers phones – of which he's seen hundreds of handsets over the years – laptops, gaming, TV & audio, and more. There's little consumer tech he's not had a hand at trying, and with extensive commissioning and editing experience, he knows the industry inside out. As the former Reviews Editor at Pocket-lint for 10 years where he furthered his knowledge and expertise, whilst writing about literally thousands of products, he's also provided work for publications such as Wired, The Guardian, Metro, and more.
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