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Google Maps already predicts what parking is like at your destination, suggests where to eat and drink, and shows commuters real-time visualizations of their bus and train. Now, the perennially popular mapping platform will also show you where to charge your electric car.
A new update is landing in the Google Maps Android and iOS apps globally starting today, while it will become available in the desktop incarnation sometime in the next month.
Now when you search for “electric car charging station,” or words to that effect, Google Maps will display and direct you to the nearest station.
Above: Google Maps now shows electric vehicle charging stations
Google Maps will support a number of charging station providers around the world, including Tesla and Chargepoint, while it will also display local alternatives such as SemaConnect and EVgo in the U.S. and Chargemaster in the U.K.
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Charging infrastructure is one of the biggest obstacles to EV uptake, given that people are naturally concerned that their vehicle may run out of juice without an EV charging station in sight. Bringing this infrastructure front-and-center in the most popular consumer navigation app should go some way toward allaying those fears.
“We built Google Maps to help people get where they need to go no matter what mode of transportation they use,” noted Google Maps product manager Andrew Foster, in a blog post. “Our newest feature brings helpful information about electric vehicle (EV) charging stations to the Map, so you can be confident that your car will be charged and ready for your ride, wherever you’re headed.”
In addition to showing the location of a charging station, Google Maps will also tell you what kinds of ports it offers, the charging speeds, reviews, and photos, among all the usual tidbits you’ve no doubt come to expect from Google Maps.
