Best practices and tips for EV Charging App Development

We all know that EVs are on the all-time rise. Global warming, tagged along by the rising price of fuels, has contributed to this surge of EVs. So, when there is a rise in EV charging stations, competition to attract more customers has increased. A robust EV charging application is a must if you want to target and retain your users. Thus, like a domino effect, EV charging app development has become extremely important in developing a stellar app that helps you provide services directly to the customer. So let’s discuss the best practice to make the perfect EV charging app. 

The EV charging stations witnessed a whopping 37% growth in 2021, right after the pandemic. So, it is no surprise that EV charging applications have become popular to attract users. It became a product to ensure your customer has a seamless charging experience. Therefore, we will first talk about the features and functions of the app to build a customer-centric app.

Wait! If you are wondering why we are ranting about the features instead of the EV charging app development process, we’ll ask you to trust us because the features are the focal point of the well-structured development process! So, bear with us a little more; we will discuss helpful tips later in the blog. 

What are the functions of the EV charging application? 

Have you ever started a project or DIY home decor without understanding its purpose and use? Most probably not. Therefore, before we take a deep dive into how to optimize your development process, let’s understand the purpose of apps for EV charging. 

We are well-versed with the custom EV charging app development. Therefore, we know what extraordinary stuff you can add to an EV charging application. However, the ordinary features must be perfect to make the exceptional ones shine! So, we have boiled down all the must-have EV charging application features into the following five points. Let’s take a look. 

Create and manage user accounts

We all know that an app bridges the service provision gap between you and your customers. But in reality, it’s an account in your application that bridges the gap. The user must be able to use your services, track their usage, and access customer support through the app. Additionally, you can use this app to track user behavior, improve service, and provide an ecosystem for users to interact with. 

Enable users to find EV charging stations

One of the star or must-have features is the ability to find an EV charging station. So, the station finder feature allows the user to find nearby EV charging stations using geolocation. Additionally, you can enable the user to add filters to find a station that fits their needs, such as the type of charger, prices, slot availability, distance, and more. 

Allow users to book a slot and make payments online 

How often have you taken a U-turn after watching the LONG line at a petrol pump? It is the same as how an EV charging station works. Furthermore, it can be even worse because EV charging takes more time. So, the app must include a feature to show available slots at stations, book a slot, show their charges, and varying modes of payment. It reduces the workload of finding a station for the user, increasing their loyalty to your app. 

Track the charging status

The charging process will take at least 20-30 minutes charge (or 5-8 hours!). So, we can’t expect the user to sit silently for that time. So, add features to track their vehicle’s charging status to help them do whatever they want.

Ask for customer support

Customer support is the key to satisfying and retaining customers. So, add a system for your customer to contact the service provider when needed. 

That’s the end of our rant on the features you must understand to design the best EV charging application. So, let’s talk about the best practices to follow in EV charging app development.

Best practices for EV charging app development

Perform market research for best EV charging applications

You must first understand what is happening to become the best in the market. So, research about the popular apps for EV charging and how the EV charging stations work. You can draw strengths and weaknesses to identify how to improve your app. Compare app features, UI/UX designs, and more. 

Define the features and functional aspects of the application 

Our users will prefer a functional app over a pretty app. So, make the functionality of in-app features your top priority. Examples are a search bar for finding stations based on areas, a live chat and notification for charging status, a customer support panel, profile management, and more. 

Read our blog on ten ways an  E-Scooter Sharing Platform like our app can boost business. You can learn some cool features to make your EV charging app unforgettable! 

Create a user-friendly design for the app (UI/UX)

The user should be the focal point when designing the EV charging application. Thus, with a user-friendly interface, you can make app navigation easy for the user and retain them longer. Additionally, ensure that there are no lagging or glitches in the app. 

Integrate live data sources and geolocation. 

Users have low attention span. So, you must ensure they can access the accurate data quickly and easily. It includes data like the available stations and slots, price for charging, estimated time based on how much they want to recharge, and more. Additionally, you can use dynamic pricing to adapt to the demand and let the EV charging station owners get the best of the rush hours. 

Make navigation easy with live maps. 

It’s much more manageable if you just click a button and have the route to your destination. So, with API integration, you can integrate maps and other tools to make navigation easy. Additionally, you can use telematic tracking to track the car when it’s at the station. It allows the user to feel more secure. 

Read our blog on the importance of IoT in  E-Scooter App Development. It can help you understand how to enhance the efficiency of an app for EV charging with IoT devices. 

Provide the user with the necessary payment portals.

Since we entered the digitization world, payment methods have become diverse. Users can use many payment gateways: credit cards, debit cards, third-party apps, you name it! So, for inclusivity and retaining customers, try to incorporate the most popular payment options depending on the country and area in which your app will be used. 

Establish an easy customer support mechanism. 

The customer is always the center of any app development, especially EV charging apps. Ensure you add a tool or feature through which the EV charging station company and its users can communicate through the app. It allows users to register grievances and request support when needed. Furthermore, it will enable the company to provide exclusive offers and promo coupons to attract more users. A live notification service is of great help for notifying when their EV is charged about the latest offers and more. 

Rigorous testing for data security and functionality.

Errors and bugs are a developer’s forever companion. No matter how good and thorough your code is, there will always be a few bugs to resolve (if not, congratulations, you have unlocked godpower!). So, after the app is ready, run QA to identify any bugs, errors, glitches, or functional faults. It allows you to ensure the app runs smoothly without any error for the user interface and the back end. 

Additionally, you need to set up a data security system. The app holds sensitive information about the user and EV charging companies’ data. So, with an advanced tech stack, you need to safeguard and establish a role-based or password-based access system. 

Maintain performance with post-deployment services.  

Through rigorous testing, you can estimate the app’s performance. However, the real performance of the app is assessed only after it is used by the users directly. The key is updating the system and making necessary changes per user behavior and complaints. To ensure that the EV charging application is optimum, regular maintenance and updates should be provided based on industry standards and common grievances of the customers or users. 

Those were some of the best practices and tips to create a fantastic EV charging application. 

How does Squillion Tech handle custom EV charging app development? 

Squillion Tech is an established  EV charging app development company. We provide diverse development services, including EV charging app development. Our team includes diverse tech geeks holding expertise in many coding languages. Thus, it allows us to create a robust app suitable for Android and iOS.

200+ clients have trusted us for our custom app development services. Why do they trust us, or why should you trust us? 

• Industry recognition of expert development services 
• Security assurance with NDA for your data and project details 
• Third-party and IoT integration for advanced services 
• Transparent pricing and development services 
• Certified tech experts for diverse tech stack for development
• Regular updates to optimize the app as per industry standards
• Consistent customer support 

We believe in your idea and want to help you make it a reality with our app development services. You are in the right place if you want to digitize your business with an app. Squillion Tech can help you with its diverse tech development services. 

Conclusion 

Electric Vehicles have become extremely popular in the past decades. With the rising demand for EVs, there has been an equal growth in demand for EV charging stations. To attract more customers to your EV station, you’ll need an EV charging station app. Or, if you have an EV scooter company, you can provide this app to find all the compatible EV charging stations nearby. The app allows users to find EV charging stations based on geolocation, book a slot, track the charging status, and make payments. Additionally, it will enable the user to connect with other users and the service provider for any customer support. We discussed valuable tips and best practices to enhance the app’s functionality and retain users. It includes tips like researching popular apps to identify useful features, creating user-friendly designs, integrating diverse tools for better services, testing the application for bugs, and optimizing performance after deployment. It enhances the app’s features and ensures it is user-friendly to retain the users. 

Do you want to attract more customers to your EV charging station? We can help you with our custom EV charging app development services! Let’s talk more about it. Contact us now!