Apple CarPlay gets a handy upgrade for Ford Mustang Mach-E drivers

The latest Apple iPhone update is providing a handy update for EV drivers. With iOS 15.4, Apple Maps in CarPlay mode is able to estimate the remaining battery charge on EV journeys as well as adding in the necessary charging stops for longer trips. 

According to this Ford support document, once an iPhone is connected and CarPlay is enabled you access Apple Maps as normal. A pop-up will ask you if you want to get EV routes. You then need to add your vehicle to the Apple Maps app to provide the data connection. You can also choose to share the data with Apple if you wish. 

Now when you plan a route, it will display the estimated battery charge on arrival next to the time of arrival. If you don't have enough charge in your EV's battery to reach the destination, the app will add charging stops along the route. It's not clear as yet if you set preferences for a minimum level of charge on arrival as you can in other EV route planning apps.

The functionality only works on newer Ford Mustang Mach-E models and the upcoming Ford F-150 Lightning at this time. However, I expect it will roll out to other manufacturers that offer CarPlay compatibility once their systems allow it. CarPlay needs access to vehicle data to estimate the charge levels, which is likely to require a vehicle OS update.

The lack of EV routing in Apple Maps is one thing that has held it back for EV drivers. While the native mapping in most EVs isn't as good as Google or Apple Maps, the ability to estimate charge and add charging stops makes them more useful. I hope we see more EV features in iOS 16, even providing battery planning from the phone for those looking to plan their trip in advance.