While there aren’t too many electric vehicles in India right now, Google seems to be thinking in advance as it has rolled out an update that will surely be beneficial for anyone who owns an electric vehicle. The popular navigation app has started adding information about electric vehicle charging stations.
To recall, the update was first reported about in October 2018, however, back then it was only available in most western countries. Now, this feature has started rolling out in India too, however, it is only available for Android. So going forward, those who own electric cars and vehicles will be able to look for the nearest compatible charging stations on Google Maps.
Considering that electric vehicles are increasingly gaining popularity in a number of countries across the globe, it’s just a matter of time before they pick up momentum in India too. So, it makes perfect sense for Google to add this information in its Maps app because running out of charge is not a situation electric vehicle users want to find themselves in.
With this feature coming to Google Maps, if electric vehicle owners find themselves in a situation where they are running low on charge, they can turn to the app for help. Although Google Maps has shown some popular EV stations for a couple of years now, the update has just been rolled out in India.
Prior reports suggest that to look for an EV station, you only have to type keywords like ‘EV charging’ and ‘EV charging stations’. The app will then start showing stations that are closest to your location along with information like the type of ports it has, the charging speeds, and more so that you can pick the one that is compatible with your vehicle.
So, businesses that have charging stations on their property will be able to add this information on Google Maps. Furthermore, drivers will be able to add more information via ratings, reviews, photos, and questions/answers.
However, as of now, we don’t know if Google Maps will also be able to show whether any ports are unoccupied. So, the electric vehicle would have to head to the station to find that out. But then, maybe with a future update, Google Maps will be able to share this information too. For other interesting Google Maps features, you can read our article here.
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