If you use Facebook, Instagram or a similar app on your phone, you will notice how they try to keep you inside their app. The longer you have Instagram opened, the more ads they sell. We have the opposite goal. We want users out of our app as soon as possible, and we’re sorry they even had to open it.
Charge Assist and its promise
In our recent blog we explained how the Charge Assist app helps CPOs (Charge Point Operators, who operate their network of electric vehicle chargers) offer services to EV drivers looking to charge their car. Charge Assist is part of the GreenFlux Internet of Energy (IoE) platform and offers mobile payments (including Apple Pay and Google Pay of course!) and smart charging features, which the CPOs can enable for their customers. Charge networks across three continents have been added to it, some of them open to everyone, others only accessible to specific fleets.
Much of what we do revolves around EV charging and it excites us to continue pushing the boundaries of what is possible. Innovations in charging technology enable mass adoption of electric cars and make it a vital part of the answers to the energy challenges we face worldwide. However, consumers are just looking to charge their car. It is our responsibility to help make that simple, reliable and accessible. That is the promise of Charge Assist.
Introducing a new design
We have been working very hard in the past couple of months to translate much appreciated feedback and learnings into a new design for the app. It makes using the app easier and gives the user a better overall experience. We also enable Charge Assist users to add their charge card from all our roaming partners to the app since the recent update. This offers them the opportunity to keep receiving their original bill from their e-mobility service provider, whilst using the advantages Charge Assist offers on various charge networks in Europe, the US and Asia.
One particular innovation, however subtle it may be, we would like to call out is our integration with Apple Intents. This integration with the Apple iOS software, which can be turned on or off by the user, enables an iPhone to suggest a charger right when the user is about to use one. This suggestion will show on the notifications screen and allows the user to start charging with literally just one click! Of course we do this without collecting personal data from the device.
One click is one too many
One-click charging is a step in the right direction, but it is not the endgame. Together with charger manufacturers and charge network operators, we work on technologies to make charging effortless, such as vehicle recognition, robotic arms and more. One day, you will use Charge Assist without opening it. Your users have better things to do.
The redesigned Charge Assist app is available now for EV drivers in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. The app is part of the GreenFlux cloud platform that offers smart charging solutions to charge network operators and e-mobility service providers.
