Tech-giant, Apple has announced plans to add a new feature to the Maps app allowing electric vehicle (EV) owners to locate the nearest charge point along their journey.
The map will keep track of what car is being driven and will know what kind of chargers can be used to help drivers locate the nearest available EV chargers on their journey.
The app will also take into account elevation and weather, both of which can affect range.
Apple is also planning to add a feature in some cities around the world that will allow users to view congestion and clean air zones to enable them to pick alternative routes if needed.
Pilgrim Beart, co-founder and CEO of software company DevicePilot, has commented on this news: ‘It is great to see Apple embracing EV drivers and this is a real step in the right direction.
‘We are seeing a real surge of interest in EVs though, with Tesla starting to regularly outsell leading car brands in the UK, so it is great to see large companies like Apple making it easier for consumers to find charging points and making the jump to an electric or hybrid vehicle that much easier.
‘Of course, having identified a nearby charging point, consumers will also want it to be operational and actually able to charge their car. This is often an area where charging point vendors struggle. They deploy thousands of devices, but then have no idea whether or not they are really working.
‘Without monitoring, a key part of the EV puzzle is missing, and customers will continue to be put off investing in them.’
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