(Image credit: Tom's Guide / John Velasco) There’s an inherent advantage to using a vehicle's stock navigation app, as it often provides more accurate battery data than Google Maps running via your phone. However, Google Maps is a core feature of Android Auto that makes any road trip a breeze — and thanks to a recent update, it’s making travel even easier for EV owners with new AI-powered features. After adding your EV to the app, you can use Google Maps to plan your next drive, complete with battery stats and planned charging stops. The key improvement here is that the app combines the data you supply regarding your specific vehicle's energy consumption with real-time traffic, weather, and elevation changes. There is some initial setup required, but once it's done, you can instantly start planning EV-optimized routes . Here’s how to enable Google Maps to deliver accurate battery predictions for your electric vehicle. Article continues below 1.…