Google Maps really this much better than built-in Nav?

[67 Stang Convertible]

This is timely for me as well since I've had my new Mach-E GT for 6 days now and have been testing various charging scenarios. I come from the Tesla universe and accustomed to getting scolded by the Tesla app for not pre-conditioning. But I have yet to see any messages about pre-conditioning on any of the Mach-E screens, whether I have randomly connected to a public charger or set a specific charger as my destination before getting underway. So, firstly, my apologies for not searching the forum first, but this seems like a good place to ask: how do I know if my Mach-E is pre-conditioning, whether using Ford navigation or Google Maps (my assumption when we refer to Google Maps here is that I'm using it via Android Auto. I don't have any Apple products).

Ford only preconditions if you put the destination in as a charger on the native navigation. I read here that the same is true for Google Maps, but I can not independently verify that. There is NO Precondition Button as much as a group of us has been asking for it since 2021. But we did get a automatic Frunk Release Button #jimrpa!!

This despite many of the MME's competetors adding a precondition button (Hyundai/Kia come to mind).

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[ChrisO]

This is timely for me as well since I've had my new Mach-E GT for 6 days now and have been testing various charging scenarios. I come from the Tesla universe and accustomed to getting scolded by the Tesla app for not pre-conditioning. But I have yet to see any messages about pre-conditioning on any of the Mach-E screens, whether I have randomly connected to a public charger or set a specific charger as my destination before getting underway. So, firstly, my apologies for not searching the forum first, but this seems like a good place to ask: how do I know if my Mach-E is pre-conditioning, whether using Ford navigation or Google Maps (my assumption when we refer to Google Maps here is that I'm using it via Android Auto. I don't have any Apple products).

@67 Stang Convertible answered the questions about when the Mach-E will do the pre-conditioning, and I can confirm that if you are using Android Auto/Google Maps it will do the pre-conditioning if the destination is a charger (but not CarPlay).

But other than using an OBD scanner, I don't think there is any way you can confirm this, other than maybe the charging starts slower/takes more time. The Mach-E will not give any indication one way or another.

I will note that pre-conditioning only seems to really be needed when it is cold. I have charged with and without pre-conditioning and being in California and not even DC charging in the winter, I haven't seen any difference in the charging speed.

EDIT: Actually, now that I think of it there is one indication. If the Flag icon for the destination changes to a charge station icon people have said that is an indicator that it knows that it needs to pre-condition.

Note that somebody pointed out farther down that the charge station indicator doesn't mean that it will do preconditioning. I was only going based on something, my read and another thread on this forum.

 

[RKinWA]

I took a trip yesterday using Google nav. I was at 40% SOC and put my destination in and Google showed it as -24% on arrival and even warned me to add a charger to my route. I was under the impression it would to it automatically like ABRP, so I just switched to ABRP and all was good.

 

[ChrisO]

I took a trip yesterday using Google nav. I was at 40% SOC and put my destination in and Google showed it as -24% on arrival and even warned me to add a charger to my route. I was under the impression it would to it automatically like ABRP, so I just switched to ABRP and all was good.

I have noticed that if I turn on the car to accessory mode Google Maps will not be able to get the current SOC and as such will display a negative trip percentage. I have seen this a few times when I was in the car waiting for my wife and just turned on the accessory mode and looked at the suggested SOC percentage for recent designations.

But once I start the car within a short period of time it gets that right current state of charge and gives the right designation prediction.

 

[RKinWA]

I have noticed that if I turn on the car to accessory mode Google Maps will not be able to get the current SOC and as such will display a negative trip percentage. I have seen this a few times when I was in the car waiting for my wife and just turned on the accessory mode and looked at the suggested SOC percentage for recent designations.

But once I start the car within a short period of time it gets that right current state of charge and gives the right designation prediction.

Ok just tried it. I normally do the route on my phone as it's easier, that doesn't add the charger, but doing it on the vehicle does.

 

[ChrisO]

Interesting, so it may have been a timing thing then, I think I set the route before I even turned the vehicle on

Maybe, it is a timing thing. I don't remember seeing if I set the designation on my phone and then got in. But I could have just missed it.

It isn't that Google Maps actually gets the prediction wrong as much as it is starting with the wrong SOC. So, for instance, in your case it might have started with 0% and predicted 24% would be used.

 

[Blitzen]

Maybe it was just coincidence, but on the day of Farley's big reveal, Google Maps on CarPlay started to interact with my vehicle. It displays turn instructions on the driver display and distance to destination under the GOM. I mostly use Google Maps and this was the first time I saw this.

 

[ChrisO]

Maybe it was just coincidence, but on the day of Farley's big reveal, Google Maps on CarPlay started to interact with my vehicle. It displays turn instructions on the driver display and distance to destination under the GOM. I mostly use Google Maps and this was the first time I saw this.

Does it show a Flag icon or the Charger icon if the designation is a charger?

 

[AZBill]

Ford only preconditions if you put the destination in as a charger on the native navigation. I read here that the same is true for Google Maps, but I can not independently verify that. There is NO Precondition Button as much as a group of us has been asking for it since 2021. But we did get a automatic Frunk Release Button #jimrpa!!

This despite many of the MME's competetors adding a precondition button (Hyundai/Kia come to mind).

Other EVs also provide a message that the battery is being pre-conditioned, as well as the manual button. Ford is way behind.

 

[ChrisO]

Other EVs also provide a message that the battery is being pre-conditioned, as well as the manual button. Ford is way behind.

My general feel about it is that it seems that Ford wants to treat it as much as possible as a "conventional car" (as in something like Apple, keep it simple for the masses).

But yeah, they really do need to understand it is different and needs to give the customer more information/flexibility in my opinion, but not get too crazy about it.

 

[silverelan]

Also, Ford simply needs to add a manual pre-conditioning button for fast charging, like all the other EV manufacturers have.

need that manual preconditioning so bad! It’s ridiculous that Ford requires a Nav subscription to have preconditioning.

 

[ChrisO]

need that manual preconditioning so bad! It’s ridiculous that Ford requires a Nav subscription to have preconditioning.

I have a Nav subscription until my lease is up, so I can't tell. Does this apply to Google Maps too?

 

[AZBill]

I use google maps almost exclusively (occasionally using waze only because it's traffic/crowdsourcing seems better) and never use the ford app.

Do you realize Google owns Waze and uses the same crowd sourcing? The only difference is that with Google maps you must be navigating to get the alerts.

 

[bbulkow]

I have Google natively in my GM vehicle, it is the best EV trip planner/nav out there. Very accurate with elevation changes and provides accurate SoC targets at charging stops. It also is kept up to date with all the new chargers and even presents energy saving alternate routes (with a percentage savings number).

I know many people like ABRP, personally I found it inaccurate, but Google is 10x better. Google also now provides the incident reports just like Waze.

I have done head to head with abrp and Google maps. They are always within a percent of each other and the actual arrival value.

Traffic and directions.... That's where Google maps pulls away

 

[bbulkow]

I took a trip yesterday using Google nav. I was at 40% SOC and put my destination in and Google showed it as -24% on arrival and even warned me to add a charger to my route. I was under the impression it would to it automatically like ABRP, so I just switched to ABRP and all was good.

Twice, i have had Google maps misfire in reading battery state. Reboot solved it.

I also notice a very conservative estimate for 2 or 3 minutes which resolves to a very accurate resting.

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