Putti built the Hikotron EV charging app from the ground up: iOS and Android mobile apps letting drivers find, start, stop, and pay for charging sessions. Hikotron's first product was launched as a completely brand-new platform.
Introduction
Hikotron is an innovative Electric Vehicle (EV) charging start-up that specialises in developing cutting-edge AC public chargers. The company's primary goal is to offer electric vehicle drivers a seamless and user-friendly charging experience, emphasising reliability and convenience. To achieve this vision, Hikotron partnered with our development team to create a robust mobile application that serves as the interface for operating their charging stations. Additionally, we designed a brand system that encapsulates Hikotron's identity, ensuring a consistent and recognisable image across all platforms.
Hikotron's co-founders Ron Smits, Stephanie Smits O'Callaghan, and Lawrence Muijlwijk returned to New Zealand during the COVID-19 pandemic, bringing their experiences from Europe and an idea for better EV charging.
Coming back as EV owners, they quickly recognised a gap in the local EV charging market and saw an opportunity. What sets them apart is their commitment to building the charger hardware on their own to suit specific purposes. Their passion to support the acceleration of EV use across New Zealand led them to develop the technology using their combined experience and knowledge.
The Challenge
The primary challenge was to create a user-centric mobile application that simplifies the charging process for EV drivers. The app had to facilitate locating nearby charging stations, initiating and terminating charging sessions, real-time power monitoring during the charging process, and seamless payment processing. Furthermore, the design and user interface had to align with Hikotron's brand image, conveying their commitment to simplicity, reliability, and modernity.
The Solution
Our development team designed and developed a feature-rich mobile app, available on both iOS and Android platforms, to provide EV drivers with a smooth charging experience. Key features of the app included:
QR Code Scanning: To initiate a charging session, users simply scanned the QR code displayed on the charger using the app. This process eliminated the need for any physical cards or credentials, streamlining the user experience.
Charging Management: Once connected to the charger, users could easily start or stop the charging process through the app. Real-time power consumption data was displayed during the charging session, enabling users to monitor the charging progress.
Payment Integration: The app integrated multiple payment options, including credit/debit cards and in-app balance recharge, ensuring secure and hassle-free transactions.
Brand System Development
Coming from a start-up scene, they also wanted to build the brand's image and increase awareness and understanding of the organisation's offerings. Putti developed a brand system for Hikotron, including logo construction, variants, logomark glyph, app icon, colour palette, and typography.
We designed a clean and modern logo that symbolises the convergence of electricity and eco-friendliness. The logo featured an abstract representation of their EV charger, conveying Hikotron's core focus.
Results and Impact
The collaboration between Hikotron and our development and design teams resulted in a successful EV charging app with a compelling brand identity. The app's user-friendly interface and seamless functionality resonated with electric vehicle drivers, increasing user adoption and retention. Positive reviews and feedback highlighted the ease of use and reliability of the charging service.
The Hikotron brand system enhanced the company's overall presence, creating a strong and consistent brand identity across all touchpoints. The logo, logomark glyph, and app icon became instantly recognisable, fostering brand loyalty among users and setting Hikotron apart from its competitors.
Conclusion
The Hikotron EV Charging App and brand system exemplify the successful collaboration between our development and design teams and Hikotron's vision for a simple, reliable, and convenient charging experience. The user-centric approach in app development and the thoughtful brand system have helped Hikotron establish itself as a leading player in the electric vehicle charging industry, driving the adoption of electric vehicles and contributing to a sustainable future.
More on how we approach this work: IoT & Connected Products and who builds IoT-connected software in New Zealand.
They built everything from scratch and made it look effortless, app, brand, the whole thing.
