The DoE announced this week that it would support the implementation of a national charging infrastructure by providing an additional $5 million in funding. And since the money would have been spent in vain if nobody knew where the stations were located, the DoE revealed that Google would be in charge with creating the maps customers will use to get to a charger.
"The Department of Energy's Clean Cities initiative is bringing together local governments and industry to demonstrate the benefits of advanced technology vehicles and help communities use less oil and gasoline to power their vehicles," said Energy Secretary Steven Chu.
"The initiatives announced are just the latest steps in our broader efforts to reduce America's dependence on oil, improve our energy security, and save families and businesses money."
As for the Google involvement, the Internet giant will use its existing Google Maps platform to let the drivers know where the stations are. According to the company, the information should be updated regularly, meaning if a new station get installed nearby, you won't have to keep using the one some distance away.
For now, the Google Maps with EV charge points will be made available in the US, but it's likely the service will expand worldwide as soon as the EVs penetrate the market.
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