Toyota BEV Drivers Gain Apple Maps Charging Integration Toyota has announced that owners of its battery electric vehicles can now use Apple Maps through CarPlay to plan their charging stops. This new integration allows the app to use real-time battery data from the vehicle to help drivers locate compatible chargers along their route. The feature was announced alongside the news that the new Toyota bZ model is now on sale. The update applies to all 2023 and newer Toyota BEVs. In the United States, this currently means the bZ4X model, which is now being succeeded by the new bZ. Apple Maps will utilize specific vehicle data to provide accurate trip planning. The system considers factors such as current battery performance and upcoming elevation changes to estimate the battery level upon arrival at a destination and to calculate necessary charging times. CarPlay is Apple’s software interface for car infotainment systems, providing access to navigation, music, and voice commands via Siri. While CarPlay itself is available in over 800 car models, the EV routing feature is more specialized. It requires a direct data link to the car’s battery management system, meaning automakers must partner with Apple to enable the functionality. This rollout remains a relatively exclusive feature. Before Toyota’s inclusion, the only vehicles compatible with Apple Maps EV routing were the Ford Mustang Mach-E, the Ford F-150 Lightning, and the Porsche Taycan. In a separate but related announcement, Toyota confirmed that the 2026 bZ model will have access to the extensive Tesla Supercharger network. This partnership opens up more than 25,000 additional charging locations for Toyota’s new electric SUV. The vehicle will feature the NACS charging standard, originally developed by Tesla and later opened up for wider industry adoption.
