Drivers of the Ford F-150 electric truck now have more options when it comes to planning routes and finding EV chargers and it’s all thanks to integration with Apple software.
That software is of course Apple Maps, with Ford announcing the integration of EV routing as part of a new software update.
That new update is now rolling out via Ford’s software systems so it’s on the way right now — if you don’t see it yet, hang fire because it’s on the way. And you’re going to like it because it’s a potential game-changer for taking longer EV trips and eliminating range anxiety.
EV routing via CarPlay
In a press release provided to iMore, Ford says that F-150 drivers simply need to enter their trip details into the Apple Maps app via CarPlay to get started. Once entered, Apple Maps will then calculate the estimated state of charge when going from point A to point B, with charging stations located along the route if they are required.
By bringing route planning and EV charger locating to Apple Maps Ford makes it possible for drivers to plan their routes more easily. This should help to remove any prospect of range anxiety as well with Apple Maps highlighting whether a mid-route charge is needed and if so, routing drivers to chargers if they’re required.
This news follows a similar feature previously released for the Ford Mustang Mach-E with Ford being the first carmaker to offer EV routing via Apple Maps. Now that’s been expanded with the addition of support for the company’s electric-powered truck.
The F-150 is of course set to go up against Tesla’s Cybertruck, and given the lack of CarPlay support in any Tesla EV we can be pretty sure that this is one area where Ford will have the upper hand.