Gloria Nosa
Effizzie Magazine US Correspondent
Ford F-150 Lightning Now Features Apple Maps on CarPlay
Ford’s integration of Apple Maps on CarPlay brings new benefits to drivers, including the ability to see the estimated state of charge at the destination. However, there are some important limitations.
Ford’s electric vehicles, including the F-150 Lightning, can now access Tesla Supercharger routing through Apple Maps and CarPlay, which displays the remaining range based on the vehicle’s data. This feature helps drivers plan charging stops along their route.
However, one key limitation is that preconditioning the battery while en route is not available when using Apple Maps on CarPlay. This means that even though the system can route drivers to fast chargers, it won’t prepare the battery for optimal charging conditions like Ford’s built-in navigation system can.
Ford F-150 Lightning and Mustang Mach-E owners in North America can now use Apple Maps on CarPlay to navigate to Tesla Superchargers equipped with NACS plugs, but there are some initial setup steps. Drivers must configure their charging network preference to NACS (such as Tesla’s Supercharger network) in the Apple Maps settings on their iPhone (running iOS 17 or later). This is a one-time setup.
Once configured, Apple Maps on CarPlay will guide drivers to charging stations, displaying the estimated charge level at each stop, as well as the final destination. However, the vehicle’s battery level will only update when the iPhone is connected to CarPlay; using the iPhone without CarPlay will not show range estimates.
Additionally, Apple Maps will alert drivers if a NACS to CCS adapter is needed at a particular charging station. This is crucial, as Ford’s EVs use a CCS1 inlet, while Tesla Superchargers primarily utilize NACS plugs. While Ford’s vehicles can charge at select Tesla Superchargers in the U.S. and Canada, an adapter is still required.
While the addition of Apple Maps on CarPlay is a welcome improvement, the feature comes with significant limitations. Unlike Android users, who can precondition the battery with Google Maps on Android Auto, iPhone users must still use the car’s native navigation system if they want to ensure the battery is properly preconditioned before fast charging. Ford notes that preconditioning will not work with Apple CarPlay if there’s no active Connected Navigation Subscription, if the predicted battery level is under 5%, or if the remaining driving range is less than 10 miles at arrival.
