With 25,202 public charging stations operated by 80+ companies across India, EV drivers navigate an increasingly complex ecosystem. A common experience illustrates this challenge: arriving at a charging point with 15% battery, finding it occupied, and needing to use a different operator's nearby station. The process, new app download, account setup, ₹500 wallet top-up, repeats with each unfamiliar network encountered. From a development perspective, this fragmentation suggests we may need to rethink our approach to delivering charging services.

Where We Are Today: The EV Charging Reality Check

In India (2024): The electric vehicle market recorded approximately 2.02 million EV sales with significant growth momentum, while the charging infrastructure expanded to 25,202 public charging stations by December 2024¹. The landscape remains fragmented with over 80 different Charging Point Operators (CPOs), resulting in roughly 1 public charger for every 77 EVs on the road.

Globally: Europe implemented the Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR) that became applicable in April 2024, mandating contactless card payment terminals at EV charging stations to ensure universal access². China operates an extensive network of 2.7 million chargers with predominantly seamless wallet integration, while Norway has achieved remarkable 95% EV adoption rates with standardized charging interfaces.

Meanwhile in India? We have too many apps, not enough standardization, and a ton of friction for the everyday user.

What EV Drivers Actually Want

Let's be honest. Most EV drivers don't want an app. They want an experience that just works: Drive-in. Plug in. Pay. Go.

No wallet top-ups. No app installs. No delays. Seamless payment via phone, UPI, card, or even just your number plate.

Sounds simple, right? But for this to happen at scale, in a country like India, we need to rethink the role of mobile apps in the first place.

Tap & Go vs Smart Apps: Two Paths Ahead

Tap & Go (The Global Trend) Many countries are moving toward physical tap terminals, just like metro cards or NFC payments. This approach offers several advantages: no app installation required, quick and easy access for first-time users, and excellent compatibility for tourists or occasional drivers.

But in India, this presents unique challenges. We're a UPI-first country rather than card-heavy, serving a diverse user base across 22+ languages, and our charging infrastructure ranges from smart systems to very basic setups. So tap-only solutions won't fully address our market needs.

The Case for Smarter Mobile Apps (India-Specific) A well-designed EV app can solve problems that a terminal never can. It can display real-time charger status including occupied or faulted stations, provide navigation to the best nearby charging points, offer filtering by connector type or power rating, and handle UPI, wallets, and subscriptions all in one place. Additionally, it can track charging sessions with receipts and usage history, while even offering loyalty rewards or referral bonuses. But only if one app can work across networks, not 81 different ones.

As a Developer, We've Built the Now… So, What's Next?

As a Flutter mobile app developer in this space, I've already been part of solving present-day problems, and trust me, they were big ones.

We've built comprehensive apps that connect to chargers using OCPP protocols, interoperate across networks using OCPI standards, show real-time availability with pricing and State of Charge data, and offer seamless payments via UPI, cards, wallets, and subscriptions. These solutions run across Android, iOS, and even smartwatches, including features like live charging graphs, notifications, and route optimization.

So what's next? Smarter tech. Less clutter. More intuition.

The Next Frontier: AI, Context Awareness & Proactive Charging

If yesterday's goal was interoperability, tomorrow's is intelligence.

• AI-Based Route & Charge Planning: Your app could learn your daily routes, predict when and where you'll need to charge, auto-reserve chargers based on traffic and battery levels, and optimize for both cost and charger health.

• Smart Charging Assistants: These would recommend optimal charging times based on energy demand, help avoid peak pricing or grid congestion, and suggest skipping a charge if your next stop has solar fast charging available.

• Hyper-Personalization: The system learns your preferred connectors, brands, and speeds, sends alerts only for relevant information, and automatically offers discounts without requiring codes.

• Secure & Seamless Plug-and-Charge: Face ID-based authentication, NFC combined with biometric tap to start charging, and no passwords or logins required on public networks.

• Offline & Edge Capabilities: Apps that keep working in low-network zones and sync when you're back online.

What Users Really Want

They don't care how it works. They care that it just works.

Before you leave, the app tells you where to stop based on range and real-time traffic. While driving, it re-routes automatically if chargers get busy or faulted. At the station, you simply QR scan, UPI pay, or just tap to charge. While charging, live stats appear on your lock screen or watch. After charging, you get an instant receipt, usage analytics, and updated wallet balance.

We're not far from this reality, but we have to think unified, intelligent, and human-first.

For Developers & CPOs: Build Less, Build Smart

Instead of every operator building their own separate app, the industry should collaborate on common protocols, invest in backend integrations (OCPI/OCPP), design experiences rather than just screens, enable wallet portability and unified billing, and focus on value rather than user lock-in.

Unified platforms will win. Not because they're the biggest, but because they make it easy.

So… Will Mobile Apps Matter in the Future of EV Charging?

Yes, but not just any mobile app.

We'll move from "yet another charging app" to one intelligent super-app that's open to all networks, integrated with real-world context, and invisible in the background while working for the user.

And if we get it right, it won't feel like an app at all. Just part of how you move through the world.

References:

1. International Council on Clean Transportation. "India Synchronizes EV Sales and Charging Infrastructure Growth in 2024." January 15, 2025. https://theicct.org/pr-india-synchronizes-ev-sales-and-charging-infrastructure-growth-in-2024/

2. Tritium. "What the New EU Regulations Mean for EV Charging." August 9, 2023. https://www.tritiumcharging.com/what-the-new-eu-regulations-mean-for-ev-charging/