your charging station
What is Google Maps?
A brief history
Google Maps is Google's online mapping service, launched in 2004. After the United States, Google gradually expanded into other countries. Today, the American giant has mapped almost 200 countries and is the number 1 GPS service on smartphones.
Participatory mapping
Google Maps also relies heavily on the help of its users. Users are encouraged to participate in the Google community. Local guides are invited to rate the establishments they have visited and suggest modifications. As a result, the maps are always up to date. Users can even provide information on wheelchair accessibility and public transport problems. In return, Google rewards its members' contributions with a points system. The most active users can earn a "local guide" badge and free Drive storage space.
Mobility at the heart of Google Maps strategy
Long a laggard, Google Maps has seen its popularity explode in recent years. Restaurants in particular have been able to use the tool to gain visibility. Today, it is a benchmark for local events and integrates several mobility functionalities. After integrating Uber and Blablacar rides into its platform, Google Maps has just launched a similar service in partnership with Lime electric scooters.
Google Maps and electric charging stations
Find your nearest recharging point
To search for electric vehicle charging stations on Google Maps, individuals must first download the app, available on Android, iOS, Android Auto and Android Desktop. After downloading the app, users simply search for the phrase "EV charging stations" on the map.
By clicking on a station, you can display :
- its specific location
- routes to the charging station
- contact information for the charging station operator
From this page, users can save or share charging station details. On some addresses, images of the charging point and surrounding landmarks are also displayed.
"To help you make a quick decision when you're on the road, we tell you the location of the station, the types of charge available (Type 2, CCS, CHAdeMO, etc.), their number, charging speed, cost and availability," shared a Google Maps executive.
Fluid, accessible information on terminal status
This last part is very important. Although new charging stations come on stream every week, the experience is nowhere near as seamless as it is at a filling station for a combustion equivalent. Stations may be disconnected for various reasons, or parking spaces reserved for electric vehicles may not be free.
The new feature solves this problem: users can comment on the status of a particular charging station. Google will also be able to tell users when to visit free charging stations.
Google Maps offers several types of charging stations around the world:
- World: Tesla, Chargepoint
- United States: SemaConnect, EVgo, Blink
- Great Britain: Chargemaster, Pod Point
- Australia and New Zealand: Chargefox
Charging station occupancy in real time
One thing that was missing from the first Google Maps version was the ability to check whether charging stations were occupied. This meant that drivers didn't know for sure whether chargers were available when they arrived on the scene. With the new Google Maps update, this is now possible!
In the USA, Google Maps' electric vehicle charging point location services cover numerous networks, such as Chargemaster, EVgo and SemaConnect. Live search results for electric car charging stations include port types and charging speeds.
Real-time data is a new feature in Google Maps. With occupancy information, users can use the app to avoid certain congested charging zones.
Good to know, these features are only available in Australia and New Zealand. However, Google intends to extend real-time information to other regions in the future.
"If you've ever driven up to an electric vehicle (EV) charging station to find all the spaces occupied, you know that you could end up queuing for several minutes or even hours, which can really spoil your day when you've got things to do," explains Alex Donaldson, Product Manager at Google.
These new features are great news for current and future electric car owners, who will be able to charge their cars more easily, especially in town.
And in France?
There's no official date yet for the release of this new Google Maps feature in France. But French electric vehicle owners can count on Charge Maps in the meantime, the reference map of electric charging stations in France.
Created in 2009, Charge Maps aims to "accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles by offering the best possible recharging experience". It currently lists 81,378 charging points across Europe, including 17,190 in France.
Charge Maps is your roadside companion when you own an electric vehicle. You can access it via your phone to find the charging stations closest to you.
The application works - like Google Maps - thanks to community participation. The community helps to map newly installed charging stations. The community can also indicate when a charging station is out of service, so you don't have to go out of your way for nothing. Thanks to its many filtering options, you can see which charging stations best match your needs: connector type or charging time.
In conclusion
Only time will tell whether the new Google Maps update will have the desired effect. The advent of the electric car is more than certain. Numerous manufacturers are gradually making the transition to electric vehicles. However, there is still a lot of work to be done to reassure consumers. Offering motorists recharging solutions that allow them to drive without hassle is a first step.
