Interview about Sharge Private EV Charging Pile Sharing APP, winner of the A' Mobile Technologies, Applications and Software Design Award 2025
Sharge transforms private EV charging piles into shared community resources, improving accessibility, affordability, and efficiency. It connects EV drivers with private pile owners, optimizing underutilized chargers and reducing reliance on public stations. Features like real-time scheduling, video navigation, and transparent pricing ensure a seamless experience. Built with UX research and agile development, Sharge integrates Google Maps API and Stripe API for secure, location-based transactions, promoting sustainable urban mobility.
View detailed images, specifications, and award details on A' Design Award & Competition website.
View Design DetailsSharge was born from a confluence of urgency and opportunity. As designers with architectural and systems-thinking backgrounds, we were observing rapid EV adoption—especially in China—without an equivalent expansion in public charging infrastructure. At the same time, countless private chargers sat idle, underused in gated communities and parking lots. This inefficiency sparked a question: could we unlock latent value through a sharing model? Our journey began with that premise. We conducted deep user research, explored behavioral incentives, and prototyped ways to create trust between strangers. Sharge became the bridge—transforming underutilized private assets into public resources while building a cleaner, more connected urban energy ecosystem.
In China, most private EV charging piles are located in underground residential parking lots, which creates significant navigation challenges. Traditional map-based tools often fail to guide users accurately to a specific spot within a multi-level parking structure. During user interviews, EV drivers frequently expressed frustration at arriving near a location only to struggle with finding the exact charger—especially in gated or underground environments. In response, we designed a video-based navigation feature that allows pile owners to upload short walkthrough clips showing the path from entrance to charger. This visual guidance dramatically reduces uncertainty and builds trust. Real-time scheduling was also added to give both parties confidence—drivers know the charger is available, and owners maintain control over when their charger is shared.
Trust was the central design challenge. We approached this by giving pile owners control without burden—letting them set availability windows, approve bookings, and monitor use remotely. The built-in calendar feature allows hosts to exclude the times they need the charger for themselves—such as overnight or weekday use—and open it to others only during idle hours. This avoids disruptions to their daily routine while enabling them to contribute to a cleaner city and earn passive income. For EV drivers, we ensured transparency: real-time availability, pricing, and location visuals are all clearly presented. Ratings, secure payments, and identity verification further reinforce trust. Sharge doesn’t just facilitate a transaction—it creates a system where both sides feel respected, empowered, and aligned.
Designing for two interdependent but distinct user groups required empathy and synthesis. EV drivers emphasized convenience—clear location info, seamless booking, and reasonable pricing. Owners prioritized control—flexible scheduling, privacy, and trust in users. These insights informed everything from interface hierarchy to system permissions. For instance, the dual-mode dashboard allows owners to manage listings with ease while drivers enjoy a streamlined search-to-booking flow. We also incorporated feedback loops into the design process—testing wireframes, iterating prototypes, and refining usability until both groups felt heard and empowered.
Timing was both a challenge and an advantage. The fast-paced growth of EV adoption meant user expectations were shifting quickly, and policies varied dramatically by region. We had to build a platform that was flexible, modular, and policy-aware. One challenge was designing for hyper-local variation—what worked in one neighborhood might not translate to another. To address this, we built scalability into our architecture, allowing for localized pricing, regulations, and service constraints. We also kept the design lightweight and responsive to ensure it could adapt across different devices and internet conditions as the user base expanded.
We prioritized core user value over feature bloat. From the beginning, we adopted a mobile-first, cross-platform approach using React Native to ensure consistency and efficiency. We performed rigorous testing to identify which features had the highest impact on user satisfaction and retention—real-time booking, map-based discovery, and video walkthroughs topped the list. By offloading some heavier data tasks to cloud services and optimizing asset loading (especially videos), we kept performance smooth without sacrificing utility. Every added feature went through a cost-benefit analysis to maintain simplicity, speed, and scalability.
Our revenue model evolved in parallel with our understanding of user motivation. Initially, we considered subscription models, but user interviews made it clear that flexibility was key—especially for pile owners who weren’t ready for long-term commitments. The commission model emerged as the most equitable solution: owners earn from actual usage, and Sharge sustains itself from a small percentage of each transaction. This creates alignment—when users succeed, so does the platform. It also encourages organic growth, as more owners see real returns without upfront risks. The model is simple, transparent, and scalable.
We recognized early on that cultural norms—especially around privacy, property, and trust—could be significant barriers. In response, we embedded social proof elements (like reviews and verified badges), built clear privacy controls, and focused on showcasing the mutual benefits of sharing. Community narratives and success stories were integrated into onboarding flows to help shift perception from “risk” to “opportunity.” Our design didn’t push sharing—it enabled it, gently, with safeguards and incentives that allowed users to feel in control while exploring something new.
Our guiding principle was “clarity over complexity.” We used familiar patterns—like card-based listings, calendar pickers, and map-based browsing—layered with thoughtful microinteractions to reduce friction. We prioritized hierarchy and contrast to highlight key actions, and minimized cognitive load by guiding users step-by-step. Accessibility was also a major consideration, with legible fonts, sufficient contrast, and screen reader compatibility. Internally, we tested flows with both digital natives and first-time app users, iterating until the experience felt fluid, intuitive, and welcoming for everyone—regardless of technical familiarity.
We see several converging trends that will shape Sharge’s next chapter. First, the integration of AI for dynamic pricing, demand forecasting, and route optimization will personalize and streamline user experience. Second, blockchain offers potential for secure, decentralized identity and energy credit systems—ideal for peer-to-peer trust in shared infrastructure. Third, the rise of vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology opens doors to bi-directional energy flow, making EVs not just consumers but contributors. Lastly, as cities embrace smart infrastructure, Sharge can serve as a plug-in layer—connecting users, energy, and data in more intelligent, responsive ways.
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