As many European countries are currently facing rising energy prices and record inflation, Google announced yesterday that it was enabling eco-friendly routing in its Maps app across Europe. The feature was previously launched in the US, Canada, and Germany, and it’s now rolling out in nearly 40 European countries. 

“With eco-friendly routing, you can choose a route that’s optimized for lower fuel consumption, which helps you save money on fuel and reduce carbon emissions — something that’s top of mind for many Europeans,” Google emphasized in the announcement. Since launch, eco-friendly routing is estimated to “have helped remove more than half a million metric tons of carbon emissions — equivalent to taking 100,000 fuel-based cars off the road” since launch. 

In Google Maps, eco-friendly routing will show the route that’s most fuel-efficient in addition to the fastest route. The feature combines Google Maps driving trends with data from the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and as well as the European Environment Agency.

In the coming weeks, Google will also let Maps users get the most fuel-efficient route based on their engine type (gas, diesel, hybrid or electric vehicle). Google Maps also recently added information about EV charging stations including port types and charging speeds. 

Tagged with Google, Google Maps