But it'll help them out in a big way.
The Porsche Taycan has been updated for American users with Apple Maps EV Routing, letting you track down a charging station for your EV from within the Apply CarPlay functionality of the Taycan's infotainment. Using vehicle data like the state of charge (SOC), charger locations from central databases, and the estimated charging times provided by the service providers, Apple Maps EV Routing will help you plan longer journeys more efficiently, guiding you to the best rest stops along your journey for optimal charging speeds, less time spent stationary, and shorter overall trips.
Because it's now accessible within the Apple CarPlay suite, you no longer need to exit the system to use Porsche's onboard service.
That onboard service is called the Porsche Charging Planner and is standard on all Taycan variants. It effectively performs the abovementioned functions, utilizing traffic data and average speed along your route. It may seem redundant to now add the Apple Maps equivalent, but we need to remember that for most people, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are the default view through which they use their infotainment, so making it easier to access the functionality through these ecosystems is vital in improving the user experience and the safety of operating an EV – the less time spent staring at a screen, the better.
“We’ve listened to our customers, and they appreciate flexibility,” says Steffen Haug, Porsche Digital, Inc managing director. “This integration with a product that they are already familiar with gives more options and confidence in how they use their Taycan, both in day-to-day activities and on longer road trips.”
The Apple system will also help when the car is driven to a low SOC. Instead of only warning you that you're running low, it will automatically suggest your nearest charging stations, prioritizing those with high charge speeds – like those at Porsche dealerships. It's the same as your nav system suggesting gas stations when your fuel warning light comes on.
All Porsche Taycan owners need to do to get access to the new feature is to have the latest My Porsche app on the iPhones, which can then be used to enable the functionality. You can find out more here.
Keyword: Porsche Taycan's Latest Upgrade Only Benefits iPhone Users