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Google Maps enhances EV experience with ‘very fast’ charging filter, charging stop suggestions, and more

Google is making it easier for electric vehicle drivers to get around with new Maps features like a “very fast charging” filter, improved EV charging stop suggestions, and more.

Google Maps update makes EV driving even easier

In 2021, Google Maps began rolling out features to help EV drivers plan a trip with stress-free routes and charging stop recommendations, using newly developed routing algorithms to search and filter for the most convenient charging stations.

The search giant took it a step further by offering more efficient and eco-friendly route planning rather than just showing the typical shortest travel time. The feature was expanded to include electric vehicles in July 2022, allowing users to find the most energy-efficient routes.

To make it even easier for EV drivers to get around, Google Maps got another big update in November to show EV fast-charging options with 50kW or higher chargers.

After seeing a more than 60% increase in EV charging stations compared to last year, Google Maps is updating its services once again, making it almost effortless to get around in an electric vehicle.

Adding charging stops to shorter trips – Maps will now suggest the best stop based on factors like current traffic, the vehicle’s charge level, and energy consumption.
Very fast charging stations – A new filter allows EV drivers to search and locate 150kW or higher fast charge stations.
Charging stations in results – Google will now show you when the places you are searching have on-site charging stations, such as grocery stores.

The new Google Map features will be available globally in the coming months to electric vehicles with Google built in, such as Polestar , Volvo , GM brands, Renault, Honda, and soon, Ford .

Electrek’s Take

Because they have access to an abundance of consumer search data, Google sees the direction in which the auto industry is headed.

Even though EV charging is primarily done at home, having the convenience of simply plugging in your destination and having Google Maps do the rest can give drivers peace of mind on road trips or if they primarily charge in public.

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Peter Johnson is covering the auto industry’s step-by-step transformation to electric vehicles. He is an experienced investor, financial writer, and EV enthusiast. His enthusiasm for electric vehicles, primarily Tesla, is a significant reason he pursued a career in investments. If he isn’t telling you about his latest 10K findings, you can find him enjoying the outdoors or exercising

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Charge it up: New Maps features for electric vehicles

Jan 27, 2021

[[read-time]] min read

Electric vehicles (EVs) are growing in popularity. Still, planning a road trip with charge stops on route can feel like solving a puzzle. With an EV, you need to find recharging stations within range that also have your specific plug type and can recharge you as quickly as you need.

To take the guesswork out of trip planning and recharging, we’re rolling out three new features for EVs with Google Maps built in.

Taking the stress out of EV route planning

Newly developed routing algorithms that use a type of math called graph theory serve up stress-free routes and charging stop recommendations in the latest release of Google Maps that’s built into participating EVs, including the Polestar 2 and Volvo XC40 Recharge.

Now when you enter a destination that requires two or more recharge stops, algorithms in Maps will search and filter through tens to thousands of public charging stations to find the most efficient route — all in less than 10 seconds. You can see how long each charge will take and your updated total trip time, so your final ETA will never again be a mystery.

Add a charging stop to your route before you start your journey.

Hit the road with confidence

For shorter trips where only one charge is needed, like a Saturday hike or weekend getaway, you can select a charging station that best fits your needs from a list of recharge points in Google Maps.

You can see which charging stations are the fastest and select specific stations if you have a membership. You can also see if a charging spot is close to a grocery store or coffee shop, so you can knock out errands or recharge yourself with a latte while you wait.

See which charging station is right for you.

The road ahead

In Europe we know it can be harder to find charging stations that will take your preferred form of payment. So Google Maps will show you what payment methods are accepted at stations in 12 countries throughout Europe, with more on the way.

These new features are now rolling out for cars with Google Maps built in — currently the Polestar 2 and Volvo XC40 Recharge — with more car models to come.

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Electric Vehicle Trip Planner

Plan your next electric vehicle road trip and choose from more than 30,000 charging stations in Roadtrippers.

Select the Auto & RV Services category.

Click Filters and then select EV Charging.

Start planning your trip.

Choose a destination and then add charging stations along with your favorite road trip stops.

Start planning your trip

Classic American Road Trips

Explore the country in your electric vehicle. Here’s some of our favorite trips. Save them to your profile and start adding charging stations along your route.

A Highway 1 road trip along California’s Central Coast

The top things to do on a Route 66 road trip

The top things to do on an East Coast road trip

The top things to do on a Blue Ridge Parkway road trip

Get ready to hit the road.

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How to plan a road trip: 5 steps to get you ready to hit the road

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Use Google Maps features built into your electric vehicle

Important: This article is only for Google Maps built into your car. Feature availability or functionality may depend on your car manufacturer or region and data plan.

You can get useful information for your electric vehicle on Google Maps. You can find your car’s battery level on arrival, get important battery alerts, and find compatible charging stations.

Learn how to use Assistant on other platforms .
Learn how to use Maps features without a data plan .

Battery on arrival

Charging Assistance

When you navigate to a destination:

If you won’t reach your destination without charging, and you require only one charging stop, you’ll be prompted to select a charging station along your route.
If you won’t reach your destination without charging and it requires multiple charging stations, they’ll all be automatically added in along your route. The charging time will be included in the duration of the trip.

To add a charging station to your route:

Tap Add charging stop .
Select a charging station.

To report missing or incorrect charging station information, send us feedback on your mobile device .

Search for charging stations

You can search on Maps for compatible plugs with your car and choose what shows up in your results by:

Charger types
Payment networks
Charging speeds

Learn how to add a charging station to your route before starting navigation or along the route during navigation .

If you add a charging station along the route, you’ll find a recommended minimum charging time. Charging times vary by the car’s battery on arrival, the car’s charging capabilities, and the station’s charging speed.

Tip: Tap a charging station for more info, like power output.

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How to find ev charging stations in google maps.

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Quick Links

Add your plug type, find ev charging stations, add ev charging stations to route.

Charging stations for electric vehicles are not nearly as plentiful as gas stations. They can also be harder to spot from the road. Thankfully, Google Maps makes it easy to find chargers for your electric car .

Before we start looking for charging stations , you should tell Google Maps the type of plug your eco-friendly vehicle uses. This will ensure you only find compatible chargers for your vehicle.

Open Google Maps on your iPhone , iPad , or Android device. Tap your profile icon in the search bar and select "Settings."

Scroll down and select "Electric Vehicle Settings."

Tap the plus icon to "Add Plugs" and choose the plug type for your vehicle.

That's all there is to it. Now Google Maps will know which type of charger you need.

Related: How to Use Fuel-Efficient Routes in Google Maps

Open Google Maps on your iPhone , iPad , or Android device. Scroll to the far right of the categories listed underneath the search bar and tap "More."

Scroll down to the "Services" section. This will look slightly different on Android and iPhone, but you'll see "Electric Vehicle Charging."

This will bring up a list of results in your area. You can sort by Relevance or Distance, Open Now, Top Rated, and choose plug type---which we already did above.

The results themselves include a lot of useful information as well. You can see the charging speeds and how many charging stations are there. Tap the directions icon to begin navigating to the charger.

If you're already driving and you need to find a charging station, you can simply add a stop to your existing navigation route. It works in the same way as adding a gas station---or any other stop---while navigation.

All you need to do is follow the steps in our guide to finding gas on your route with Google Maps , but search for "EV charging stations" instead. You'll see results and you can choose which charger to add to your route.

The world may seem like it still favors gas-powered vehicles, but you don't have to be left out when it comes to Google Maps. Make sure you're taking advantage of all of Maps' features to maximize your trips.

Related: How to Find Gas on Your Route With Google Maps