Let’s drive change: Fastned's e-inclusive approach to transform EV charging
We're thrilled to share some exciting news with you ⚡ We've just rolled out a pretty sweet update to our app, and taken an “e-inclusive” approach on how to do it.
You know that we believe in making the transition to electric mobility real. And this is something much bigger than us. Of course, we want you to charge with Fastned, but life happens and maybe you’re somewhere without a yellow canopy. So we thought, let’s also help people charge when we’re not around yet or they need a good ole slow charge.
Getting right to it, we've integrated charging locations from various operators into our app. That's more than 400,000 chargers spanning 150,000 locations in a whopping 50 countries.
Wow! Talk about having the power to choose ⚡
Sounds overwhelming? 🙉 Our Product people and UX experts recognised that sometimes ‘less is more’. That’s why they dedicated additional effort to make sure the Fastned app only presented the most relevant charging options based on the user’s map location and zoom level.
How did the Product team at Fastned do this? And why is e-inclusivity so important?
We chatted with Robin Wouters, Director of Product Management & Engineering at Fastned. Check it out 👇
Hey Robin! First, tell us why Fastned has decided to include other operators in its app?
Robin: Sure. The cool thing is that this update wasn't born in a boardroom, it came from the users - our incredible community of EV drivers. Our customers shared with us how overwhelmed they can be with several different apps on their phones. We want to make charging as simple as possible, so after first adding Apple Carplay and Android Auto support, now opening up our app to include other operators is the next important step for delivering on this promise.
How did your team solve the issue of putting all those chargers in a user-friendly interface?
Robin: We developed strategies to prioritise quality over quantity. The team, including product managers UI and UX designers and engineers, worked together to create an app that shows users the most reliable charging options at their selected locations. Unlike other apps, we're not overwhelming users with choices, we're making the charging process seamless by presenting the best options from various operators. The zoom feature is also quite special - the more zoomed out you are the fewer chargers you see but these will be of the highest quality. And the more you zoom in, the more options you see of different charging speeds. After testing this first with a subset of our users and making numerous iterations, we’re proud to roll this out to all Fastned app users.
And this update reflects Fastned’s goals, right? How does it relate to the aspect of ‘e-inclusivity?’
Robin: We believe in making the transition to electric mobility accessible to everyone. The “e-inclusivity” approach came from a desire to simplify the charging experience for EV drivers, providing them with a single platform to access charging information from various providers. In this sense, we don’t want to be self-serving and only help drivers find Fastned stations, we want EV drivers to have peace of mind and a smooth journey. This not only simplifies EV drivers’ lives but also contributes to the broader goal of making sustainable transportation accessible to everyone, irrespective of the charging network operator.
With this big update out, is there still work for your team to do? ;)
Robin: Oh, absolutely! In fact, my team is one that is always hiring 😄
Ready to join the charging revolution?
Head to the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, download the updated Fastned app, and embark on a journey of e-inclusivity in electric driving! ⚡🌟
To see all our open positions, have a look here 😉