VoltSpott
Making EV charging easier to find, plan, and trust.
Role
Senior product designer
Scope
UX strategy, Product design
Platform
Mobile
The Problem
As EV adoption grows, drivers still struggle with charging.
Common challenges include:
Anxiety around charger availability
Difficulty finding compatible stations
Limited route planning for charging stops
These issues contribute to range anxiety and inefficient trip planning.
The Opportunity
EV drivers need a faster way to answer a few critical questions:
Is a charger available right now?
Can I reserve a spot before arriving?
Where should I charge during a trip?
The goal was to design a mobile experience that helps drivers discover, evaluate, and reserve charging stations quickly.
Research
To better understand the EV charging experience, I conducted semi-structured user interviews with EV drivers to identify pain points related to charging discovery, availability, and trip planning.
The goal was to uncover how drivers currently find charging stations, what information they rely on, and where existing apps fall short.
Interview topics
Charging Discovery
How drivers locate charging stations
Tools and apps currently used
Confidence in charger availability
Charging Decisions
Factors influencing which station they choose
Importance of charger speed, distance, and amenities
Trip Planning
How drivers plan charging during longer trips
Challenges integrating charging stops into routes
Takeaway
Charging uncertainty cause driving anxiety.
Key Insights
Charger availability is unreliable
Many participants reported that apps often show chargers as available when they are actually occupied or out of service.
“The app says it’s open, but when I get there it’s already taken.”
Drivers need accurate, real-time availability information before committing to a charging station.
Decisions are time-sensitive
Drivers often make charging decisions while traveling or navigating, which means they need information quickly and clearly.
“When I’m driving, I just want to know if there’s a charger nearby and if it’s open.”
The experience should prioritize speed and clarity of information.
Trip planning creates anxiety
Drivers planning longer trips often worry about whether chargers will be available along their route.
“Long trips are stressful because you’re constantly wondering if the next charger will be open.”
Drivers need route-based charging discovery integrated into trip planning.
The Solution
VoltSpott simplifies the EV charging experience by combining:
• Real-time charger availability
• Charging reservations
• Route-based charging discovery
• A map-first interface
This helps drivers make fast, confident charging decisions while traveling.
Key Features:
Real-time charger availability
Drivers can instantly see stations along their drive and which chargers are available.
Charging reservations
Users can reserve a charger before arriving giving them reassurance.
Map-based discovery
Nearby charging stations appear on an interactive map which makes stations easy to spot in context to the trip.
Route-based charging
Drivers can identify charging stops along their trip or plan ahead.
Outcomes
Early beta testing showed strong engagement with the product.
• Strong positive feedback on real-time availability and reservations
• High interest in route-based charging planning
The design created a foundation for high user adoption and retention.
Reflection
Designing VoltSpott reinforced how important clarity and reliability are for mobility products.
By surfacing real-time data and simplifying charging decisions, VoltSpott helps reduce range anxiety and makes EV charging a more predictable part of everyday driving.