Looking to buy an electric vehicle? Google has a new set of tools that will automatically tell you the expenses you'll face — and which cars you should consider.
For example, if you search for something like "best electric cars," Google Search (in the U.S.) will show you a nifty comparison tool, allowing you to easily see and compare prices, battery range, charging times, and power output of individual models.
For electric vehicles, users in 21 countries will now have the opportunity to calculate energy costs (based on fueleconomy.gov). The tool will even tell you the energy costs of a comparable, gas-powered car. In the U.S., with Germany and France coming "soon," users will also be able to find federal tax incentives for qualifying vehicles.
There's also a new battery range explorer in Google Maps, which shows you how far can you go with a certain EV model on a single charge, with customizable routes. This will roll out in the U.S. in the "coming weeks," and it'll come to Europe "early next year."
So far, EV owners mostly had to rely on tools such as PlugShare, which offers an extremely detailed range calculator. Google's tool isn't as advanced, but it's better than nothing.
Other new features include fuel-efficient routing on Google Maps in India and Indonesia (it's already available in the U.S., Canada, Europe and Egypt). There's also a new Google Earth perk that reveals the best building designs and solar panel options in urban areas (the company recently launched a similar feature in Maps).
Topics Google
