What the Leaf Icon on Google Maps Really Means (And Why It Confuses So Many Users)

If you’ve ever wondered what the leaf symbol means in Google Maps, you’re not alone. Google isn’t exactly shouting about this icon from the rooftops, even though it’s actually one of the most useful features of its navigation app. In short, this little sheet highlights a fuel-efficient route. Not only should these routes save you gas or battery charge (they cover both gas and electric vehicles), but they’re also designed to be more environmentally friendly. Or at least that’s the theory. In practice, getting the most out of this Google Maps feature isn’t entirely straightforward, as it can add time to your journeys.

Fuel-efficient routes are enabled by default in Google Maps. If you’re particularly environmentally conscious, click on the route with the sheet next to it when planning a trip. The problem is that these routes don’t always prioritize total travel time, so they can sometimes take longer than less efficient alternatives. If every second counts for your next crucial car ride, you should consider turning off this feature. You can do this by going to Settings > Navigation, before turning off the Prefer fuel-efficient routes slider. That said, there are pros and cons to opting for a fuel-efficient route on Google Maps. Let’s see how these ecoroutes work.

Google Maps pulls live traffic data to predict where congestion levels might build up, among other factors. It also takes into account different road types, intersections and road layouts, while even taking into account topography. The latter may seem like overkill, but plotting a flatter route to your destination can actually save a lot of energy. After all, going up a hill requires more power than cruising smoothly on a flat highway.

In general, Google Maps strives to strike the right balance between weighing the benefits of highway driving and considering alternative routes. A route that largely encompasses highway driving could offer better fuel efficiency through more consistent cruising speeds compared to a route peppered with stop signs. On the other hand, a route that avoids main roads might be less prone to traffic jams, but it might also involve more stops thanks to lights and roundabouts.

What frustrates some Google Maps users is that fuel-efficient routes can take longer than trips that don’t take energy consumption into account. While the gap between travel times shouldn’t be too big thanks to the app’s filtering process, there’s no guarantee that a greener journey won’t cause delays.

Google Maps will sometimes ignore highways on a fuel-efficient route in favor of roads that can offer more stable speeds, which can cause issues. While it’s best in many circumstances to avoid traffic jams on highways, you might suddenly find yourself navigating narrow lanes or hard-to-reach areas punctuated by stop signs. Less confident motorists on country roads should also consider turning off fuel-saving routes if they prefer more regular motorway driving.

In addition to sometimes being slower than less planet-friendly alternatives, fuel-efficient routes on Google Maps don’t take into account the comfort of a trip. Again, many drivers may prefer to avoid the type of crisscrossing paths that Google Maps can provide. In case of bad weather or if you are traveling in an area that is completely unfamiliar to you, it may make more sense to turn off fuel-efficient routes.

If you’re determined to use fully efficient directions in Google Maps, there’s one crucial setting you need to enable. To give Google the best chance of plotting the most fuel-efficient route, it’s important that you provide details relating to your vehicle’s engine type. You can do this by going to Settings > Your vehicles, then selecting petrol, diesel, hybrid or electric between engine types.

Giving Google Maps these extra details should ensure that the routes it suggests to you are just that little bit more efficient. While this is the only measurement you can provide to the app, not your vehicle weight, engine size, or tire type, there are few details about the fuel you use that will help reduce travel times.

Google Maps is one of the best travel apps without which we cannot leave the house, without a doubt. Even though it’s the go-to navigation app for most Android and iOS users, it’s certainly not perfect. Offering fuel-efficient routes by default is certainly laudable in a world still dominated by fossil fuels. Still, this eco-friendly feature has its quirks, which means sometimes it might make more sense to turn it off for your future trips.