How To Develop An EV Charging Station Finder App

Electronic vehicles, or EVs, are gaining popularity worldwide, especially in the USA. The EV automobile giants, such as Tesla and General Motors, are gearing up to manufacture more electric vehicles in the coming future. It is the contribution of corporations towards sustainable initiatives to reduce pollution and save the planet.  

However, one of the significant challenges why most people hesitate to buy electric vehicles is the inability to find EV charging stations and public charging ports that they can use to charge. 

Businesses can overcome this challenge by developing an EV charging station finder mobile application and allowing their users to find the nearest EV charging stations using the application. 

But you would be wondering where to start, don’t worry we got you covered. Read this blog thoroughly to learn about developing an EV charging station finder app similar to PlugShare. Thus, without any further delay, let’s get started! 

The Emergence of Electric Vehicles in Recent Years 

The first electric car was introduced in the late nineteenth century and then came the era of modern electric vehicles. Tesla was the first company to launch the first highway-legal all-electric car in the US market. 

Following this, other automobile giants, including Renault, Nissan, Mitsubishi, and Volkswagen, jumped into the race and started manufacturing electric vehicles. 

As of today, companies that used to manufacture conventional vehicles have started showing interest in electric and hybrid vehicles. Mercedes Benz, BMW, Audi, and Honda are some examples of such automobile manufacturers. 

The manufacturing of EV automobiles has achieved significant traction in recent times, and we can witness this by evaluating the stock prices of EV manufacturers. The stock price of Tesla was around $22 in 2018, and in just five years, the price reached up to $182 per share (the price of stock is the current price available at the time of writing). 

This growing number of electronic vehicles has also raised the demand for EV charging stations and public charging ports to charge vehicles that run on electricity. 

In fact, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) has set aside $7.5 billion to build the nation’s EV-charging infrastructure. The goal is to deploy 500,000 public chargers (publicly accessible charging stations compatible with all vehicles and technologies) countrywide by 2030. 

Why Invest in the EV Charging Station Finder Application? 

The answer is easy, the number of electric cars, motorcycles, trucks, etc., is high in numbers, and there are limited charging stations. Thus, people find it challenging to find an operating EV charging station whenever their vehicle’s battery gets low. 

Hence, if they have a mobility solution using which they can find the nearest charging hub, it would be easier for them to find and charge their vehicles on the go. 

Here are some of the latest statistics showing the EV’s market potential growth in the future:

Source: Precedence Research 

1. The Global Electric Vehicle Charging Station market size was valued at $26.9 billion in 2022, and it is projected to be approximately $344.61 billion by 2032, growing with a CAGR of 29.1% from 2023 to 2032. 

2. At present, there are 2,442,270 registered electric vehicles in the United States.

3. In May 2023, there were over 138,100 charging outlets operational for plug-in electric vehicles (EVs), out of which almost 44,600 public and private power outlets were in California. 

4. According to a study, it is projected that the number of charge points will rise from approximately 4 million currently to over 35 million in the United States by 2030. 

5. Globally, there are around ten electric cars per public Electric Vehicle charger. 

You can easily understand that the number of EV charging stations will grow in the coming years along with electric vehicles. Thus, it would be a profitable idea for businesses and startups to invest in EV charging station finder app development. 

However, if you don’t know where to start? Don’t worry, we got you covered. We have provided a comprehensive guide to developing a custom EV charging station finder application. 

Before skipping onto the development guide to developing an EV charging station finder mobile application like PlugShare, it would be beneficial to understand how it works. It will make the further development procedure comparative easier to carry out. 

How Does an EV Charging Station Finder App Work?

The working of an EV Charging Station Finder mobile application is as follows: 

• The user creates his/her profile by signing up and adding necessary details, such as name, phone number, email, vehicle registration number, type of vehicle, and more. 

• After registration, the user needs to allow geolocation tracking, either manually or by default process of the application, so that nearby EV charging stations can be recommended. 

• Based on the user’s current location, the application accesses geolocation services through third-party APIs, such as Google Maps, showing the nearby EV charging ports and stations, with details like slots available, charges, vehicle compatibility, its pictures, and postal address. 

• Users can also find the EV charging stations by simply putting the location name in the application. 

• After locating the preferable EV charging station, the user can enter his/her details and book the electric vehicle charging port.
  
• After the charging, the user can pay through the same app or any other money transfer app, like Paypal, Cash App, and others. He/She can also use other means, such as cards or cash.  

• Post the payment, the user gets a notification immediately with the complete service details and the transaction information. 

So, this is how an electric vehicle charging station finder application works. Now that you understand it let’s jump straight to the development guide for the EV charging station finder app.

How to Develop An EV Charging Station Finder Application? 

Before starting to build an EV charging station finder app, you need to have a clear roadmap to proceed further and succeed. Thus, we have provided a development cycle following which you can also develop your custom EV charging Station Finder apps like PlugShare, ChargePoint, or any other.  

Step 1- Do the Research  

It is crucial to research the EV charging station finder app market and which technologies are being used in these kinds of mobile applications.

Collect data on EV charging stations with locations to add it later to the application. Also, verify every detail of the charging stations to ensure the reliability and trust of users on the EV charging station locator app.  

Additionally, it is equally important to understand the working and business models of the competitors, such as ChargePoint, PlugShare, Volta, Electrify America, and more. 

Step 2 – Build Your Development Team

Creating an EV charging station finder app like PlugShare is complicated and requires deep expertise in mobile app development. A newbie or a person with little knowledge can’t develop an app that competes with the industry leaders. 

Thus, we recommend hiring dedicated app developers to build up your in-house development team. Moreover, you can also contact a leading app development company to develop your EV charging station locator application. 

Step 3 – Design the Wireframe 

With your development team, proceed with designing the wireframe of the EV charging station locator app similar to ChargePoint. 

Design the user interface, icon design, screen layouts, etc., but keep in mind that it stays sophisticated and easy to navigate. Cluttering the UI will have a huge negative impact on the overall user experience.

There are numerous design software available that you can use for designing the wireframe. A few of them are Sketch, Adobe XD, Figma, InVision, and more. 

Step 4 – Begin the Development 

Once you have done with the designing, start developing the electric vehicle charging station finder app with the assistance of the app developers. We recommend you develop an MVP (Minimum viable product) as it fastens the development process, and there is a vast scope to make last-minute changes in the application. 

Engage your development team with the backend development and the frontend development. You must coordinate with the team simultaneously to ensure a smooth development process. 

Develop backend and frontend, add features and functionalities, and integrate third-party APIs for geo-location tracking and payment gateways (if you want to add a payment option in your app) while developing the EV charging station locator application. 

Step 5 – Test the Application 

Post development, test your EV charging station finder app like PlugShare rigorously on different platforms, such as Android and iOS, ensuring it works fine without any glitches. 

You can also launch a Beta version of the application for the limited users to test it and gather feedback. According to the feedback, make the necessary changes to the app and proceed to the next step. 

Step 6 –  Launch the App 

After fixing all the bugs and ensuring your EV charging station finder app is operating properly launch it for public use. You can publish the app on the Google Play Store and App Store for iOS version so that people can download it from there and use it. 

After launch, ensure to market your EV charging station locator application using different marketing strategies, such as app store optimization, SEO, paid ads, and others. 

Step 7 – Regular Maintenance of the App

With rapidly changing trends and technologies, you must upgrade your EV charging station finder app regularly. You must add new features, update the UI, and enhance the data frequently.  

Also, upgrading the functionalities with emerging technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence, makes your EV charging station finder app intuitive, reliable, and makes it stand out from the competition. 

Following this development guide to build an EV charging station finder app, you can develop your custom application tailored to your business needs. 

Likewise, if you need any kind of development assistance, please feel free to contact our team, and we would be glad to help you with the mobile app development. 

Top Features to Add to EV Charging Station Finder App

Features play a vital role in making a mobile application successful. Therefore, we have listed the top features you can integrate into your EV charging station finder application like PlugShare. 

1.  Registration and Profile Creation 

The foremost feature you must add to your EV charging station locator app is easy sign-ups and profile creation. Using this feature, users can easily create their profiles by adding necessary details like name, phone number, email, and more. 

Also, users need to provide their electric vehicle details, such as model, type – BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle) or PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle), registration number, etc. 

2. Nearby Charging Stations Locator

This feature will allow users to find the nearest charging station manually. Users need to enter the location, and the features will show the number of EV charging stations in that area.  

3. Geolocation

The ‘Geolocation’ feature shows the users the nearest EV charging stations in real-time, their distance, and the time it will take to reach there by leveraging the potential of AI geolocation third-party APIs like Google Maps. 

4. Reservation 

This feature allows users to book a charging point at a particular EV charging station at the desired time. Users can select the EV charging station and check the availability status. If available, they can book the charging point for their electric vehicle. 

5. Filters

The ‘Filters’ feature narrows the search results according to the user’s requirements. Users can choose the filters, such as location, charging rate range, type of vehicle, type of charging connectors, etc., and then search the EV charging stations for relevant results. 

6. Station Details

The ‘Station Details’ features consist of a list of EV charging stations with their necessary information, such as postal address, number of charging ports available, vehicle compatibility, types of chargers available, charging rates, and more. 

7. Payments 

As the name suggests, the ‘Payments’ feature allows users to pay for services using different payment methods, such as debit/credit cards, digital wallets, and more. 

These days cryptocurrencies are gaining popularity, so you can also consider accepting payments in leading cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin. 

8. Billing History

This feature shows all the last transactions using the EV charging station finder app like PlugShare. It will show all the details such as time, location, station name, amount paid, etc. 

9. Feedback 

The ‘Feedback’ feature allows users to share their experience of EV charging at a particular EV charging station. They can also rate and leave comments as feedback. 

10. Reward Points 

The ‘Reward Points’ will encourage users to use your EV charging station finder app frequently. Whenever users use your app, you provide them reward points so they can redeem them later.

11. Push Notifications 

The ‘Push Notifications’ feature will send personalized deals, offers, messages, and even transaction details after they make payments using the EV charging station locator mobile application. 

12. AI-powered Chatbot

A chatbot powered by Artificial Intelligence can analyze user queries using machine learning capabilities and provide them with personalized responses in real-time, enhancing the user experience.  

13. Station Listing 

This feature is for the new EV charging station owners who are looking to list their EV charging stations on your mobile application. They need to provide all the necessary details and pay registration charges, and after the verification, their EV charging station will be listed.    

14. Share Home Charger 

Using this feature, people can list their personal home EV charging ports on your application and charge a nominal fee whenever someone uses their charging port to charge their vehicle. 

So, these are the top features of an EV charging station finder mobile application that you must add to your app to ensure its success. 

Technology Stack to Build an EV Charging Station Finder App 

To build an EV charging station locator mobile application, you can consider opting for the technology stack mentioned below: 

Thus, this is the recommended technology stack to develop a custom EV charging station finder app. Also, you can consult the top mobile app developers to choose the right technology stack according to your requirements. 

Benefits of Developing an EV Charging Station Locator App 

There are various advantages of building an EV charging station finder mobile application. Below are a few of them: 

1. Additional Source of Revenue

By developing an EV charging station finder mobile app, you can list numerous EV charging stations on your application and generate additional revenue through various means that we will discuss further in this blog. 

2. Increased Visibility and Customer Reach

When you build a custom EV charging station locator app, you help users find EV charging stations. This way, you increase the visibility of your business among the EV owners, which leads to higher foot traffic and increased revenue. 

3. Competitive Advantage 

The coming years will be EVs dominating, and developing a dedicated EV charging station finder app will give your business a competitive advantage in the market. There are only a few such apps available right now, therefore, it is the right time to take the first-mover advantage. 

So, these are the top benefits of developing an EV charging station finder app. Now, let’s move and explore the monetizing strategies you can use to make money from the EV charging station locator app. 

How to Generate Revenue From an EV Charging Station Finder App? 

This section will discuss the best monetizing techniques you can leverage to generate revenue from your EV charging station finder application. 

1. Freemium Model 

Using this monetizing strategy, you can offer a basic version of the EV charging station finder app with simple features and advertisements. And for the advanced features and ad-free experience, the user needs to buy the premium version of the application. 

2. Registration Charges 

You can charge ‘Registration Charges’ from the EV charging station owners to list their charging stations in your application. This way, you can earn additional income for your business. 

3. Charging Session Referral Fees

To make additional income, you can collaborate with charging station owners or operators and earn a commission for directing EV users to their stations. It is based on a pay-per-lead (PPL) or pay-per-session (PPS) model, where you will earn a commission for each successful charging session initiated through the EV charging station locator app.

4. Advertising

Leveraging this monetizing technique, you can display relevant ads of various products and services in your EV charging station finder app like PlugShare. But remember not to overdo it to ensure a seamless and rich user experience. 

5. In-App Purchases 

Apart from all, you can offer in-app purchases for EV goods and services, such as accessories, vehicle upgrades, extra charging time, other rewards, and more. You can generate additional revenue from your EV charging station finder app. 

So, these are the top techniques to monetize the EV charging station locator mobile application. 

Top EV Charging Station Finder Mobile Apps

Below are some of the popular EV charging station finder apps available in the market. 

1. PlugShare 

PlugShare is one of the top EV charging station finder apps available. It is accessible through both Android and iOS smartphones. Users can use it to find nearby charging stations and even make bookings for charging points in advance using the same. 

2. ChargePoint 

ChargePoint is one of the best EV charging station locator apps people use to find nearby charging stations. Users can explore numerous charging stations using the app and choose the ideal one to charge their electric vehicle. 

3. EVGo

Last but not least, EVGo is another EV charging station finder mobile application to locate EV charging stations in real-time. Additionally, the application has a book-a-slot option, allowing users to book a charging point in advance. 

Therefore, these are the top EV charging station finder applications available on the market. 

Concluding Thoughts 

Electric vehicles are becoming the first choice of the people in the USA. Moreover, the government is also promoting EVs and electrifying public transport, such as buses and taxis, contributing to a cleaner environment. 

It shows that there will be more EVs in the coming years, and EV charging station finders apps will become a crucial mobile app in people’s lives. Thus, develop a custom EV charging station locator app with Quytech to get the first-mover advantage and gain a competitive advantage. 

We are the best mobile app development company that assists you with developing your EV charging station finder app from start to finish. Therefore, if you are a business or a startup, contact our team and share your requirements. 

At Quytech, you will get the following benefits: 

• In-depth consultations with industry experts. 

• Team of talented developers with 25+ years of experience.

• Best tools and frameworks to enhance the quality of your app. 

• Cutting-edge technologies, such as AI, Augmented Reality, and Blockchain, enhance the app’s functionalities and user experience. 

• Post-development support and maintenance services. 

For more information, please visit our website: www.quytech.com