Head to head
Google Maps or Tesla: where they actually differ
Two products with different jobs. Google Maps is a general-purpose maps app that has grown EV routing; Tesla in-car navigation is the vehicle's own navigation, which is why it can do things no app can.
Where they differ
| Capability | Google Maps | Tesla |
|---|---|---|
| Models the charging curve | ◐ Partly | ● Yes |
| Adjusts for weather and temperature | ● Yes | – Unverified |
| Accounts for elevation | ● Yes | – Unverified |
| Live charger availability | ◐ Partly | ● Yes |
| Reads the car | ◐ Partly | ● Yes |
| Preconditions the battery | – Unverified | ● Yes |
| CarPlay or Android Auto | ◐ Partly | ○ No |
| Pays for the charge | ○ No | ◐ Partly |
| Compares session prices | – Unverified | ○ No |
| Driver check-ins and reviews | ◐ Partly | ○ No |
Where they agree
On the remaining 4 capabilities these two are recorded the same way. Rows where both are unverified are agreement about our own ignorance rather than about the products.
Which to choose
Choose Google Maps if you need cold-weather range modelling and routing that knows the road climbs. Choose Tesla in-car navigation if you need charging-time estimates that hold up, live charger status, a live connection to the car and battery preconditioning before a rapid charge. Price and platform decide the rest, and both are in the table on each product’s own page.
Or both
Most people end up with two of these — a router and either a payment card or the car’s own navigation for the last leg, which is the only thing that reliably preconditions the battery. Using one tool for everything is a preference, not a requirement.