Google Maps Simply Made EV Highway Journeys Far Much less Disturbing

• A brand new Google Maps replace will assist you to keep away from crowded Tesla Supercharger stations.
• Tesla mentioned extra such electrical vehicle-friendly updates are coming to navigation suppliers.
• The brand new replace will assist you to save time and make street journeys smoother.

Google Maps has launched a brand new characteristic that may make utilizing the service extra pleasant for electrical automobile drivers.

Now you can see real-time availability of Tesla Superchargers on Google Maps, Tesla mentioned on Tuesday in a submit on X. Google is displaying the reside info underneath the “Overview” part of the app with inexperienced highlights.

It would appear to be a small addition, however it could make a significant distinction to your street journeys. The replace means EV drivers not have to modify between apps or look forward to Tesla’s personal app to load simply to examine charger standing.

The brand new replace may also help your EV roadtrip turn into extra seamless and keep away from crowded stations the place strains can typically be lengthy, particularly in the event you’re in a metropolis like New York or Los Angeles.

“The subsequent step for navigation suppliers is to transcend reside availability and in addition present real-time wait time, forecasted availability, and dynamically re-route clients primarily based on forecast,” Max De Zegher, Tesla’s director of charging, mentioned in a submit on X.

He went on to check Tesla’s personal journey planner to an air site visitors controller. Understanding the place the planes are and assigning them to runways and airports may also help with congestion. EV chargers would profit from related planning, he mentioned.

A protracted ready line at a Tesla Supercharger in Brooklyn, New York, on Tuesday, November 11.

Photograph by: Suvrat Kothari

I’ve stopped counting the variety of instances I’ve waited in lengthy strains at Tesla Superchargers in Brooklyn, the place hundreds of rideshare drivers, in addition to a rising variety of personal EV homeowners, should take care of a disproportionately small public fast-charging community.

The Tesla app additionally exhibits correct real-time Supercharger availability. However consider it or not, it could typically fail. And it typically takes a very long time to load, particularly on Android units. Third-party apps like PlugShare additionally present charger availability, however that is much less correct and is dependent upon crowd-sourced info.

Not like the Tesla app, Google Maps opens immediately and is flawless on open roads, though I’ll admit the blue arrow dances round when GPS accuracy falters attributable to skyscrapers or inclement climate.

2026 Hyundai Ioniq 5 XRT at Tesla Supercharger

Photograph by: Suvrat Kothari

Nonetheless, the EV options nonetheless have room for enchancment. You continue to can’t see pricing for EV chargers. And connector info for a selected website, like CCS or NACS availability, can typically be inaccurate.

Even so, it’s a very good step ahead and an indication that each Google and Tesla are pondering extra significantly about find out how to make EV charging smoother and fewer of a guessing recreation.

Have a tip? Contact the writer: suvrat.kothari@insideevs.com