Even though this is the moment of truth for battery-electric vehicles, the EV charging management software industry predicts that we’ve just scratched the surface.

Though, the industry is expecting numerous new changes, backed by the thought of minimizing the carbon footprint by using electric vehicles, curates the top choice for organizations and customers alike.

In the USA, the electric vehicle market is expected to show a CAGR of 18.20%, resulting in a projected volume of $161.6 billion by 2028, showcasing EV charging management software as a hotbed of opportunities for entrepreneurs and enterprises alike.

Although the EV market is rapidly advancing, the need for EV charging station management software and infrastructure is paramount to become the new standard of transportation. This is exactly where the EV charging application steps in.

An electric vehicle charging app is a mobile app designed to assist in managing and controlling the EV charging process across different vehicle platforms and models. The feature set that enables it to streamline the EV charging process consists of a charging station finder, payment processing, energy usage management, monitoring, bill management, etc.

According to Business Market Insight, the EV charging app market is projected to reach $20526.11 Million by 2032, scaling at a CAGR of 40.5% during the forecast period. These numbers underline that the EV charging management software market is forecasted to rise in the coming years, acting as an upthrust for the need for efficient management of EV charging stations and networks.

Herein, we’ll highlight everything related to EV CMS (Charging Management Software) development and the factors inspiring and affecting its cost. Furthermore, we’ll shed light on the myriad features of EV charging apps along with how they’ll benefit your entrepreneurship to grow your business.

Understanding the EV Charging Management Software

An EV charging management software is a mobile application designed to assist business owners to vehicle owners in managing, accessing and locating charging stations to many other parameters all under one roof.

EV charge management software or charging apps play a pivotal role in supporting the increasing demand for electric vehicles with real-time information about nearby charging stations. Primarily, these apps fall into three categories:

• Vehicle-based Software – These types of apps’ sole focus is to notify drivers about remaining charges, driving range, charging station locations en route etc. These types of software are developed by EV manufacturers (OEMs) or sourced through a reliable supply chain from a trusted app development company and built into EVs by OEMs themselves.

• Charging Point Software – Conventionally, charging point software has been developed and deployed by charging system manufacturers. The core objective behind EV charging station manufacturers shifting towards EV ecosystem partners is to save development and maintenance costs and simultaneously leverage emerging standards.

• Back-end/Infrastructure Software –  These are also termed as “Behind the Scenes” software making them an inevitable part of successful operation, evolution and increase of the EV marketplace. This type of software manages everything from charging sessions to processing payment for charging, notably ensuring a flawless user experience for EV drivers.

• P2P EV Charging App (Software) – Peer-to-peer EV charging app is a decentralized model enabling owners to share their private charging stations with others, often for a fee.

• EV Charging Slot Booking App –  This type of EV charging app includes all the crucial features like filters, a time and charging time scheduler a notification system etc.

In essence, EV charging app development, regardless of its functionalities, aims to facilitate unparalleled user experience for EV owners. Whether that is through navigation, reservations, or payment integration, EV app take care of everything.

Even though it’s dreary to provide an exact estimate of the EV charging management software development cost, a reputed and dedicated organization like Apptunix, with longstanding competency in creating similar solutions, can help you with an estimated budget bracket considering your business custom requirements.

Factors Affecting the EV Charge Management Software Development Cost

For a ballpark cost estimation of developing an EV CMS or app, analyzing the features and functionalities to be integrated into the software along with the tech layer to be used is indeed crucial.

A little aside from this, it’s equally important to understand that only a dedicated EV app development company can offer you the competitive edge to help you reap maximum ROI (Return On Investment) while you cement your footprints in the demanding ecosystem.

Feature List

First and foremost among the most crucial factors influencing the EV charging management software development cost is the “Feature List”.

After all, it’s important to understand that a complicated feature list will eventually cost more compared to an app with minimum features. Whatever features you pick, remember having an app that addresses the pain points of the EV charging management industry with a defined set of features is bound to gain momentum in the market.

Here are a handful of inevitable features that are a must-have for an EV charging app.

• Energy Administration

Often, users benefit from regulating and tracking the energy use of charging stations through EV charging station management software.

Furthermore, planning charging periods considering the demand and electricity helps to avoid power grid overload and simultaneously prevents any energy wastage. To add, energy administration tools also help EV fleet managers prioritize charging for the most in-need EVs and balance power usage among different charging points.

• Payment Processing

Whether you believe it or not, payment processing is still a demur in the app development process.

EV charging management systems that consist of payment processing platforms streamline payment and billing processes for EV users. Integrated with numerous payment features like credit cards, membership cards, mobile wallets, this feature allows quick and hassle-free EV charging.

• Fleet Management

Fleet management is another inescapable benefit of EV charging apps.

This feature makes it easy to track and monitor EV charging, vehicle usage, and maintenance requirements for fleet managers with the help of fleet management features. Also, EV fleet-managed charging software benefits fleet managers in making data-driven decisions on the deployment of charging infrastructure and vehicles. Plus provides information on battery health and charging patterns.

• EV Charging Hardware Monitoring

Real-time administration and monitoring of charging station hardware are possible with EV charging management solutions. By integrating this feature, administrators can easily track the status quo of charging, detect hardware challenges, and improve charging efficiency.

Moreover, to ensure charging stations are constantly accessible, preventive maintenance is also made possible through EV charger management software.

• User Management

User management tools allow administrators to manage user accounts and also limit access to charging stations. These management capabilities offer authorized access and can offer personalized charging settings, like charging intervals and payment options.

Software Complexity

After the feature list, software complexity is the next big thing influencing EV app development costs. For example, building complex EV charger management software with exclusive features and functionalities often inclines towards an expensive side.

Plus, it’s crucial to understand that dedicated software with features mapped in accordance with the market requirements and audience analysis has the potential to gain maximum traction in today’s bottleneck competition.

UI/UX Design of the EV Charging App

To create a dynamic EV charging app, it’s vital to have a well-outlined UI/UX strategy at the forefront.

In totality, a seamless UI/UX design has the potential to grow user engagement while maximizing the user retention rate. Although it’s recommended to carry out numerous testing processes for seamless functioning impacting the overall cost of an EV CMS.

The elements that affect UI/X design costs during EV charging app development are:

• Typography
• UI optimization
• Content writing
• Branding
• Colour psychology
• Button placements
• Visual elements

Choosing the Right App Platform

Picking the right app platform is yet another element influencing the development cost.

For example, iOS and Android apps both have different financial requirements depending on criteria like the frame time, the deployment time, etc. So, to keep the budget optimized as per requirements, it’s advisable to start with one platform and then switch to cross-platform once the apps gain momentum in the landscape.

Resources Allocation for EV CMS

Resources allocation of the partnered EV app development company is another key element affecting the complete development cost. But, if this seems daunting at first, you must consider outsourcing your project to a trusted and experienced software development team like Apptunix that offers you the best industry expertise at an optimized cost and with maximum ROI.

Resources required to build an EV charging app are:

• 1-2 Business Analyst
• Project Manager
• 1-2 Designers
• 2-3 Frontend Developers
• 2-3 Backend Developers
• Quality Analyst

EV App Development Company Location

The location of the app development company affects the development budget for creating EV charge management software. For example, the hourly rate of developers in countries like Asia is much lower than in the USA or UK.

Thus, it’s recommended to partner with a skilled development company having expertise in projects similar to your requirements, within your budget.

UpKeep

Constant maintenance is a vital element ensuring the seamless functioning of the app while impacting the EV charging app cost.

Therefore, it’s crucial to take significant actions to ensure the seamless functioning of your app on all the platforms for optimum performance. Besides, regular maintenance ensures a flawless user experience.

The maintenance cost incurs charges for ensuring bug-free apps, app upgrades or implementing new technologies.

The Technology Layer

The technology stack is crucial for the success of EV charging apps.

With the right technology integration, it becomes a lot easier to gain instant traction in the competitive market landscape and set your business up for undefeatable success. Also, note that EV charging app development cost is influenced by different technologies used to implement its features and functionalities.

Must-Have Electric Vehicle Protocols For an Optimized EV Charging Management Software

Within the EV market, there is an array of protocols available to optimize the EV charging management software app. And, adherence to these protocols is imperative to enhance vehicle efficiency and effective grid load management.

Here is a pocketful of crucial protocols that should be compiled during a dynamic EV CMS development process.

• Open ADR

OpenADR is an acronym for Open Automated Demand Response. Basically, it’s a set of pre-defined standards developed by the OpenADR Alliance to facilitate communication between utilities and end-users for managing energy demand in response to grid conditions.

• Open Charge Point Interface (OCPI)

OCPI is a protocol that connects the communication gap between different Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) or charging station operators. Also, it allows EV drivers to charge their vehicles at different charging stations without the hassle of using different payment methods.

• Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP)

OCPP is an open-source communication protocol facilitating communication between charging stations for electric vehicles and central management systems. Besides, it bridges interoperability issues between different charging station manufacturers and network operators.

How Apptunix Helps You Become a Trailblazer in EV Industry?

Now that you’ve grasped the intricacies of EV charge management software development costs and the various technical integrations influencing it, it’s time to handhold a dedicated EV app development team tailored to your specific business needs.

Apptunix, a reputable tech engine for smart EV startups boasts a team of expert developers with bespoke experience in enhancing the EV operations of numerous businesses through cutting-edge EV charging management software. Our software development ensures a hardware-agnostic product packed with features addressing every facet of EV infrastructure.

Skip the crowded queue with our team to create an amazing EV charger management software propelling your business to the forefront of this burgeoning, environmentally friendly ecosystem.