Best app for road trip planning MN to FL.

[Bushwood CC]

What is the best app that you have found for road trips. I assume it will plan out chargers so you don’t get too close to 0. Also preconditioning the battery would be nice. I’ve got 20,000 miles but have only charged at home.

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[JIMINGA]

I bought the Tesla adapter, created a Tesla account in the Tesla app, joined and pay a monthly fee for a reduced rate at Tesla superchargers, and use the Tesla app to plan/locate Tesla superchargers. Many other apps exist that are helpful too. You likely will get plenty of replies here to compare! Enjoy the trip!

 

[JIMINGA]

I bought the Tesla adapter, created a Tesla account in the Tesla app, joined and pay a monthly fee for a reduced rate at Tesla superchargers, and use the Tesla app to plan/locate Tesla superchargers. Many other apps exist that are helpful too. You likely will get plenty of replies here to compare! Enjoy the trip!

I got the Lectron adapter directly from their website. It works great every time!

 

[Firn]

What is the best app that you have found for road trips. I assume it will plan out chargers so you don’t get too close to 0. Also preconditioning the battery would be nice. I’ve got 20,000 miles but have only charged at home.

A Better Route Planner.

Aside from that Google Maps. Less flexibility, but much more integrated.

No preconditioning, but practically nobody here has ever had preconditioning and it doesnt seem to make much difference.

 

[Bushwood CC]

Do you use the free version or subscribe?

 

[TwentyTwentyThree]

https://www.google.com/travel/fligh...Ws2QAFIAXABggELCP___________wGYAQE&tfu=KgIIAw

 

[Firn]

Do you use the free version or subscribe?

Free

 

[G-Zeus]

Paid version. And I bought the recommended ODBC bluetooth adapter to get real-time battery information into the app. There isn't much better than this app, although for some reason when I'm going to Tesla charging stations it doesn't properly connect to show the real-time status of the available chargers. So when I'm BlueCrusing, I check the Tesla app for that.

 

[fhteagle]

ABRP for a quick and dirty, conservative, and definitely needs sanity checking initial plan. Plugshare to make sure the stations ABRP picked are really the best. About 50% of the time, I can come up with a better combo of stations that saves on total charging time, stations that have better amenities, lower cost, etc than the original ABRP plan.

 

[xHEROofCANTONx]

Do you use the free version or subscribe?

There is a free version, but you get more integration with the subscription. Recently used it for a trip to Louisiana. It does a good job updating data real time for charging location adjustments, but as stated a few times it is pretty minimalist.

Paid version. And I bought the recommended ODBC bluetooth adapter to get real-time battery information into the app. There isn't much better than this app, although for some reason when I'm going to Tesla charging stations it doesn't properly connect to show the real-time status of the available chargers. So when I'm BlueCrusing, I check the Tesla app for that.

Can you post an Amazon link for the ODBC, please? I know the one I have doesn't connect to the app.

I have also had your experience with routes.

 

[CD4TNF]

Google Maps. Martin Rebuilds shows how it's done. He did a long trip and found it was accurate.



Lightning Mike talks thru road trip planning with the Lightning with various apps.

 

[halfbakedenchilada]

Do you use the free version or subscribe?

I use the paid version of ABRP and use an OBD dongle (https://www.obdlink.com/products/obdlink-cx/) so the app gets real-time data on my SoC and efficiency. I find that to be super accurate. ABRP lets you really dial in what you want: what SoC to be at when you roll into chargers, what ending SoC you want, what charger networks (Tesla, EZ, RAN, etc.) you want, and so on. I also like the in-truck nav but it's a little buggier than Apple Maps or google maps, but I find the SoC predictions better than Apple or Ford.

 

[fhteagle]

Google Maps.

I use this for real time tactical information while enroute, but not so much for planning really. I find it to be pleasantly pessimistic in it's guesses on SOC at arrival. I'm usually about 3% better SOC per 100 miles traveled vs Google Map's initial guestimate. ABRP's guesstimates are often borderline unusably pessimistic. That's true until you get a 20+ mph headwind, then ABRP seems to fail to adequately bump up consumption for that in my experience. Google Maps seems to account for headwind/side wind a bit better I think.

However, Google maps / Android Auto can't yet kick in preconditioning while enroute to the DCFC though, right?

 

[CD4TNF]

I use this for real time tactical information while enroute, but not so much for planning really. I find it to be pleasantly pessimistic in it's guesses on SOC at arrival. I'm usually about 3% better SOC per 100 miles traveled vs Google Map's initial guestimate. ABRP's guesstimates are often borderline unusably pessimistic. That's true until you get a 20+ mph headwind, then ABRP seems to fail to adequately bump up consumption for that in my experience. Google Maps seems to account for headwind/side wind a bit better I think.

However, Google maps / Android Auto can't yet kick in preconditioning while enroute to the DCFC though, right?

Enroute pre-conditioning will be available when navigating to DC fast-chargers, and drivers will also be able to see available chargers and compatible Tesla Supercharger locations along their routes.

https://www.f150lightningforum.com/...-now-available-for-the-f-150-lightning.22234/


OP also should be aware of PlugShare to make those charging stop decisions to confirm chargers are operating based on user reviews.


https://www.motortrend.com/news/best-tech-2025-plugshare-aftermarket-ev-charging-app

 

[Vulnox]

Another vote for ABRP, but caution that if you get it and the OBD adapter it may not work if you have a 2025 Lightning. I haven't dug into it much, but our OBDLink CX won't work in our 2025 Mach-e. I searched for why and it seems Ford is encrypting some of the modules and stuff like battery SoC is no longer readily available for 2025+ MYs. So ABRP and the adapter is useless for now on at least 2025 Mach-e, not sure if they changed the Lightning as well. Since OP doesn't list their vehicle year, I am just mentioning it.

For our 2024 Lightning though, ABRP and the OBD adapter were outstanding. So we subscribed to use it (and support the devs) and I was really impressed with the data. Beyond SoC, it took in battery temp, outside conditions, Wh/mile and all that to keep our projected SoC at charging as accurate as possible, and even offered to adjust our charging stop to a later one based on updated SoC projections.

We have iOS, so the alternative (and what I use with the MachE) is Apple Maps since you can integrate it with the Lightning or MachE to show current SoC in the app with no adapter needed.

The only problem with Apple Maps and it sounds like GMaps is similar is it's insanely conservative. It will pull you into a charging stop with 35% SoC even though there are other chargers that are on the route. When I was coming back from Chicago, it wanted me to stop three times for a 270 mile journey (this was in the MME). I did end up stopping twice because I left Chicago at a low SoC and only charged to about 70% the first stop because I was trying to get out before traffic got worse. But three would have been ridiculous.

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