A Better Routeplanner (ABRP)

Analysis by Appcrazy

If you drive an electric vehicle and have ever wondered whether a longer trip will end with a comfortable battery reserve or an unnecessarily stressful search for a charger, A Better Routeplanner, usually called ABRP, is the kind of app worth trying. I found its value less in drawing a line between two places and more in turning an EV journey into a sequence of decisions: how much energy to leave with, where a charging stop makes sense, and whether the plan still looks sensible when conditions change.

ABRP is a free Maps & Navigation app for electric-car trips, developed by Iternio Planning AB. It is available to an Everyone audience, and its current version is 6.1.9. The app has passed a million installs and holds a 4.7 average from around twenty thousand ratings, which matches my impression that it is aimed at serious everyday use rather than being a novelty route planner.

What to expect before planning your first EV trip

The first thing to understand is that ABRP is not simply a replacement for the navigation already built into your phone or car. Conventional map apps are usually excellent at finding the quickest road route, showing traffic, and guiding you turn by turn. ABRP adds the question that matters specifically to an electric driver: how will this route affect the battery, and where should charging fit into the journey?

That difference changes how I use it. I do not open ABRP only when I need directions. I use it before leaving, when comparing two possible routes, and when I want to know whether a trip that looks easy on a normal map will involve an awkward charging stop. The app encourages me to think about the whole journey rather than treating charging as an afterthought.

The interface can feel more technical than a basic navigation app. That is partly the point. An EV route depends on the vehicle, starting charge, weather, road speed, elevation, and the availability of suitable charging locations. ABRP exposes more of those planning choices, so a first-time user should expect a short learning period instead of an instant, one-button experience.

My advice is to approach the first session as a setup task, not as a test of whether the app is simple. Once the important vehicle and trip details are in place, the planning process becomes much more reassuring. The app starts to answer practical questions that a generic map often leaves you to guess.

Advertisements

Why the vehicle profile matters so much

ABRP’s usefulness depends heavily on the vehicle profile selected for the journey. An electric hatchback with modest range should not be planned in the same way as a larger model with a bigger battery or faster charging capability. If the profile does not reflect the car you are actually driving, the route may look polished while the energy estimate is less useful.

This is one of the most important lessons for a new user: do not rush straight to the destination field. First make sure the app is planning for the right vehicle. I would also treat the result as a planning estimate rather than a promise. Real consumption changes with temperature, wind, passengers, luggage, speed, hills, and driving style, so a sensible reserve is more valuable than a plan that works only in ideal conditions.

Take a Look at Our Blog

For a familiar commute, that level of detail may be unnecessary. For a holiday drive, a work visit in an unfamiliar region, or a route with limited charging choices, it becomes the reason to use ABRP instead of relying on a general-purpose map.

The free starting point and the paid layer

The app itself is free to download and use, while in-app purchases range from $4.99 to $49.99 per item. That makes it easy to begin without committing money immediately, but it also means that some users will eventually need to decide whether the additional paid options fit their habits.

I would not make that decision before completing a real trip plan. The free experience is the useful test: choose a genuine destination, inspect the proposed charging stops, and see whether the way ABRP presents the journey matches how you think about driving. If you mostly take short local trips, paying for extra planning depth may not change your routine. If you regularly travel long distances in an EV, the added convenience may be easier to justify.

There is no reason to treat the purchase screen as part of the first success. First learn whether the basic planner reduces uncertainty for you. That is a more reliable test than judging the app from its feature list.

From installation to a first successful plan

Start with a low-pressure route

For a first attempt, I recommend planning a journey you already know. A route to a nearby town or a regular weekend destination is better than beginning with an unfamiliar cross-country drive. You can compare ABRP’s result with your own experience, notice how the planned energy use changes, and understand the charging logic without the pressure of an important appointment.

After opening the app, select the vehicle that most closely matches the car you drive. Then enter your starting point and destination. If your route includes a stop where you genuinely expect to pause, add it deliberately rather than hoping the planner will infer your preference. This is especially useful when the stop is a meeting, hotel, or family visit and charging needs to fit around it.

Once the route appears, resist the temptation to accept it immediately. Look at the proposed charging sequence and ask three simple questions: does the first stop occur at a comfortable point in the journey, does the stop leave a reasonable reserve, and would I actually want to use that location? A route can be energy-efficient while still being inconvenient because the stop is too early, too late, or poorly matched to your schedule.

Read the plan as a conversation with your car

I find the best way to use ABRP is to treat the plan as a conversation rather than an instruction. The app suggests a route based on the information it has, and I decide whether the assumptions make sense for the day ahead. If I know the car will be heavily loaded or the weather will be difficult, I do not blindly follow the most optimistic-looking result.

One practical habit is to compare the planned arrival reserve at each important stage, not just the final destination. A final number can look comfortable while an earlier leg leaves very little flexibility. Looking at the sequence helps me spot whether one missed charger, detour, or slower-than-expected section could make the rest of the trip uncomfortable.

Another useful habit is to create a backup idea before leaving. I do not necessarily need a second complete route, but I want to know which alternative charging area could rescue the journey if the preferred stop is unsuitable. This is a more realistic use of planning than assuming every stop will be available exactly when I arrive.

What counts as the first meaningful success

Your first success with ABRP is not merely seeing a route on screen. It is reaching a point where you understand why the app selected a charging stop and feel able to adjust the plan. If you can explain, in your own words, where you expect to charge and what reserve you want to keep, the app has already done something useful.

For me, a good first plan has three qualities. It follows roads I am comfortable driving, it includes charging stops that fit the rhythm of the trip, and it leaves enough margin that a small change in conditions does not turn the journey into a crisis. ABRP is particularly helpful when it makes those trade-offs visible instead of hiding them behind a single fastest-route result.

A realistic everyday example

Imagine leaving home after work for a weekend visit several hours away. A normal map may show the quickest route and an estimated arrival time, but it may not help you decide whether to charge before the motorway, during a meal break, or closer to the destination. With ABRP, I would first select the car, enter the destination, and inspect where the planned charging pause falls.

If the suggested stop lands at an inconvenient time, I would not assume the entire route is wrong. I would test a nearby alternative or adjust the stop around the place where I already intend to take a break. That is one of the app’s strongest everyday uses: it helps combine driving needs with human plans. The best charging stop is not always the one that produces the shortest theoretical trip; it may be the one that matches when I need food, rest, or a change of driver.

Before setting off, I would also check whether the initial charge level is realistic. Planning from a full battery when I am actually leaving soon with less charge can create false confidence. Updating that starting condition gives the route a better chance of reflecting the trip I am really about to take.

Common confusion: estimates are not guarantees

The most important source of confusion is the difference between a calculated estimate and what the car will experience on the road. ABRP can help organize the energy side of the trip, but no planner can remove wind, cold weather, traffic, unexpected detours, or a driver who decides to travel faster than planned. I use the app to reduce uncertainty, not to pretend uncertainty has disappeared.

If the battery percentage during the journey differs from the plan, I would avoid panicking over a small variation. Instead, I would compare the actual progress with the expected progress and reconsider the next stop if the difference continues. The earlier you notice a trend, the more choices you have. Waiting until the last leg is the wrong time to discover that conditions are worse than expected.

New users can also mistake a charging location shown in a plan for a guarantee that the stop will be convenient at that exact moment. A route planner can identify a useful place to charge, but the real-world experience still depends on the location, the vehicle’s compatibility, the charging process, and circumstances at the site. I treat each stop as a planned option that deserves a quick practical check.

Common confusion: the shortest route is not always the best route

ABRP may propose a route that looks different from the one a general navigation app prefers. That does not automatically mean it is taking you the wrong way. The app is balancing road distance with energy use and charging opportunities, so a slightly longer drive can make sense if it produces a more manageable charging pattern.

At the same time, I would not accept every energy-focused detour without question. A route that saves a little battery but adds an inconvenient stop may be a poor choice for a tired family or a driver with a tight schedule. This is where personal judgement matters. ABRP is strongest when it gives me better options, not when I stop thinking for myself.

Common confusion: planning and live navigation are different jobs

I see ABRP primarily as the planning brain for an EV trip. Depending on how you prefer to drive, you may still want another navigation tool for detailed turn-by-turn guidance, traffic awareness, or a familiar in-car display. That is not a weakness in itself; it is a sensible division of responsibilities.

A practical workflow is to use ABRP before departure to understand the energy strategy, then use the navigation system you trust while driving. If the route changes, return to ABRP when it is safe to do so and reconsider the charging plan. Trying to make one app perform every navigation task can be less comfortable than using each tool for what it does best.

Advanced habits that make the app more useful

One non-obvious advantage is that ABRP encourages scenario testing. I can compare the effect of leaving with a different battery level, choosing another stopping point, or accepting a route that trades a little driving time for a more comfortable charging rhythm. This is valuable before a trip because it shows which decisions are flexible and which ones create a narrow plan.

A second useful habit is to plan around the weakest part of the journey, not the average part. If most of the route has plenty of options but one remote section has fewer practical choices, I pay special attention to that section. The app becomes more than a route generator; it becomes a way to identify where the trip could become fragile.

A third insight is that the right reserve is personal. A confident driver who knows the route may accept a tighter plan, while a first-time EV owner may prefer a larger cushion. I would rather adjust the plan to my comfort than chase the smallest possible number of charging minutes. The time saved by a very aggressive plan is not worthwhile if it makes every delay stressful.

I also recommend reviewing the plan after the trip. Compare what ABRP expected with what actually happened: where did consumption differ, which stop fit your schedule, and which part felt unnecessarily cautious? That reflection makes later plans more personal and useful, especially when you repeat similar routes.

Who should use ABRP, and who may prefer something else?

I think ABRP is a strong match for EV owners who take longer trips, regularly cross unfamiliar areas, or want to understand charging before they leave home. It is also useful for people who feel that ordinary map apps answer “how do I get there?” but not “how do I get there without making the battery situation stressful?”

It may be more than you need if your driving is almost entirely local and you already know where you charge. In that situation, the built-in navigation or a familiar map app may be quicker. Drivers who dislike adjusting vehicle and trip assumptions may also find ABRP more demanding than a basic destination search.

For live traffic and ordinary turn-by-turn directions, I would generally prefer a dedicated navigation tool or the car’s own system. For EV energy planning, ABRP is the more focused choice. The two approaches are not competitors in every situation; they solve different parts of the journey.

My next-step recommendation

After the first successful route, I would not immediately experiment with every setting. Use the app on a familiar medium-length trip, observe whether the suggested charging rhythm feels natural, and then try one controlled change. You might compare a preferred stop with an alternative or see how a different starting charge affects the plan.

Keep the habit of checking the route before departure, especially when the trip matters. Confirm that the vehicle profile and starting conditions still make sense, review the charging sequence, and leave room for real-world variation. These small checks are more valuable than endlessly searching for the theoretically perfect route.

ABRP is not magic, and it does not replace common sense at the wheel. Its real strength is that it gives EV travel a clearer structure. Instead of hoping that charging will work out, I can see the intended sequence, question the assumptions, and change the plan before a problem becomes urgent.

With a 4.7 average and over a million installs, it has clearly found an audience among electric-car drivers, but the numbers are less important than whether its planning style suits you. I would recommend starting with the free version, using a route you know, and judging the app by the confidence it gives you during an actual trip. If you want a simple map with minimal decisions, another option may feel easier. If you want to understand the energy side of an EV journey and make deliberate charging choices, A Better Routeplanner (ABRP) is one of the more purposeful tools I would keep on my phone.