Head to head
Tesla or Zapmap: where they actually differ
Two products with different jobs. Tesla in-car navigation is the vehicle's own navigation, which is why it can do things no app can; Zapmap is a charging map — its job is telling you what is there and whether it worked for the last driver.
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Where they differ
| Capability | Tesla | Zapmap |
|---|---|---|
| Models the charging curve | ● Yes | – Unverified |
| Reads the car | ● Yes | – Unverified |
| Preconditions the battery | ● Yes | ○ No |
| Turn-by-turn navigation | ● Yes | – Unverified |
| CarPlay or Android Auto | ○ No | ◐ Partly |
| Pays for the charge | ◐ Partly | ● Yes |
| Compares session prices | ○ No | ◐ Partly |
| Food, restrooms and facilities | ◐ Partly | – Unverified |
| Driver check-ins and reviews | ○ No | – Unverified |
Where they agree
On the remaining 5 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 Tesla in-car navigation if you need charging-time estimates that hold up, a live connection to the car, battery preconditioning before a rapid charge and turn-by-turn navigation rather than a hand-off. Choose Zapmap if you need to start and pay for charging in the app. 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.