This month, the Charge Assist team has focused on fundamental work to improve our app’s user experience. To host a range of upcoming functionalities for our customers, we introduced ‘Account Functionality’. Leveraging this layer directly is our renewed AutoCharge feature, making drivers' lives much easier when starting their charging session. And there’s more, so let’s dive right in.
Introducing Account Functionality
Our Charge Assist app has always been an open app where we wanted to provide smooth and easy access to as many drivers as possible. So far, one of our goals has been to reduce the time drivers spend on searching and finding a charge station.
To reach that goal, we see that many EV drivers prefer customised settings. Next to that, we want to offer our white-label customers more opportunities to interact with drivers. That is how we came to introduce a new setup for Accounts.
Account types: full flexibility in your setup
To support different customer experiences, we offer three options to our customers:
- Account Only: Users can create an account to enjoy a seamless and enhanced experience. All features and functionalities are now accessible exclusively through a user account, which means the anonymous version will no longer be available. This change ensures personalised services, secure data management and improved customer support.
- Anonymous: Like now, users are not required to create an account to access the app.
- Hybrid: Users have the flexibility to choose between creating an account or using the app anonymously. This option caters to users who prefer not to sign up but still want to use the charging services.
For our own Charge Assist, we chose the hybrid option to keep the choice up to the drivers.
Improved engagement, more information
Opting for an account gives drivers several advantages. Firstly, drivers always have access to the history of their charging sessions. Of course, without an account, drivers can also view charging sessions in Charge Assist. However, if they, for example, get a new phone and reinstall the app, this information will be lost, unfortunately.
Secondly, account functionality gives more options for user engagement by our CPOs. The new account options can help white-label customers build a stronger connection with their users, driving loyalty and repeat usage. Additionally, it allows users to switch between different smartphones while preserving their entire history and settings, ensuring nothing is lost in the process.
AutoCharge: The return of a legacy functionality
With the complete overhaul of Charge Assist less than a year ago, we had to temporarily drop one feature: AutoCharge. Do not worry, though, it is back now!
As the name suggests, AutoCharge ensures that charging sessions automatically start when the charging cable is plugged in, eliminating the usual steps that drivers need to take before their EV starts charging.
What AutoCharge brings to the table
The biggest advantage of AutoCharge is, of course, its simplicity. By removing the need for manual authentication, drivers can simply plug in their vehicle, walk away and let the system take care of the rest.
We see this is especially useful for new EV drivers as it removes the learning curve associated with dealing with different charging systems and methods.
Since the system is tied to the vehicle’s unique identifier, billing is automatic and accurate. Drivers do not need to worry about whether they selected the right charge card — everything is handled seamlessly and consistently.
How does AutoCharge work?
AutoCharge relies on a unique identifier tied to the vehicle, typically the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) or MAC address from the EV’s charge controller. The charging station then communicates this identifier to the GreenFlux platform, where it checks whether the vehicle has been registered for AutoCharge. This registration is typically done by the end-user as a one-time action in the Charge Assist app or a customer's self-built app connected to the GreenFlux Charge Assist API.
Once the vehicle is recognised and authenticated, the charging session starts automatically without any further input from the driver. Just like with a regular charge session, the GreenFlux system will generate a Charge Detail Record (CDR) for the charging session. That links to the calculated charging cost, based on the billing rules related to the payment method that the end user mapped to their AutoCharge registration.
How to enable AutoCharge in the Charge Assist app?
Here is a general guide to setting it up correctly.
- Create an Account: First, sign up for an account in Charge Assist (as stated before, AutoCharge is not available to Anonymous users).
- Request AutoCharge: Request AutoCharge through your app's account settings and follow the steps indicated in the Charge Assist app. That allows the system to recognise your vehicle when connected to compatible charge stations.
- Activate AutoCharge: After requesting AutoCharge in the app, a pop-up will automatically appear once you start charging the next time you visit a charge station that supports this feature. This prompt will ask you whether you’d like to enable AutoCharge for future sessions, streamlining the process for even quicker and more seamless charging experiences.
- Start Charging: Once registered, you can simply plug in your EV at any AutoCharge-enabled CPO station using the GreenFlux platform. Then, the charging session will start automatically.
What about ISO15118 Plug & Charge, is this obsolete?
You may have heard of Plug & Charge, a similar feature that allows EVs to automatically start charging when connected to a charging station. While both AutoCharge and Plug & Charge aim to simplify the charging process, there are three key differences in the technical setup.
- Based on the ISO 15118 standard, Plug & Charge requires that both the charging station and the EV platform (i.e. an EV car model) support this specific protocol. In addition, the Plug & Charge functionality must be supported by the back-end platform and an integration with a so-called certificate authority hub must be in place. GreenFlux supports ISO15118 Plug & Charge and is integrated with the certificate authority. However, be aware that only certain charge station hardware products with certain firmware versions support ISO15118 Plug & Charge.
- A second difference is that specific settings must be changed in the charge station configuration settings to activate the ISO15118 Plug & Charge feature. Fortunately, you can do this remotely through the GreenFlux platform. Contrary to AutoCharge, both the CPO and the eMSP (of the subscription that the end user wants to use for payment) must be a participant in the ISO15118 Plug & Charge ecosystem.
- Compared with AutoCharge, ISO15118 Plug & Charge offers additional security and encrypted communication between the EV, the charge station and the back-end platforms. However, Plug & Charge is not supported by older generation EV platforms, only by more recent EV platforms (i.e. the most recent EV car models). ISO15118 Plug & Charge can work on DC and AC charging stations (of the latest hardware generations only).
As indicated, the GreenFlux platform supports both AutoCharge and ISO15118 Plug & Charge, which means you will always have freedom of choice.
‘We have worked hard on the core fundamentals of the app. The account functionality and AutoCharge are clear examples of this, making life much easier for EV drivers.' Alfredo Bautista Santos, Software Developer Charge Assist
Other important improvements
Session summary
The Charging Summary provides users with a clear, comprehensive overview of each charging session. After completing a charge, users can easily access key details of their sessions, including:
- Total Energy: The total energy consumed during the session, measured in kWh.
- Total Price: The full session cost, giving users a transparent view of their expenses.
- Total Time: The duration of the charging session, showing how long the vehicle was connected.
- CO2 Saved: An estimate of the environmental impact, highlighting the amount of CO2 emissions avoided by choosing electric over conventional fuelling.
New bottom navigation bar
We’ve redesigned the bottom navigation bar, introducing a more modern and user-friendly interface. The new design improves ease of navigation and offers a more intuitive and streamlined experience for users to quickly access key features and functions. This update enhances overall usability, providing a sleek and contemporary look that aligns with modern UX standards.
