The Challenge
A UK energy company needed an effective platform to unlock the best locations for EV charging points but lacked a solution to support their net-zero ambitions.
The Approach
Aligned with the UK government’s goal of installing over 300,000 EV charging points by 2030, the client saw an opportunity to drive this expansion forward. Leveraging YLD’s expertise in data science, engineering, and product design, we built a web app enabling users to evaluate site suitability for EV charging points. The web-based platform provides insights into installation costs and revenue potential, supporting optimal site selection and utilisation.
Software engineering
A core feature of the MVP we built is the platform’s interactive map, which offers a comprehensive, searchable view of demographic data, EV penetration, nearby amenities, and accessibility routes. This core feature enables users to visualise data in a meaningful way.
We simplified complex data to create an intuitive and functional tool for assessing site suitability by leveraging several key elements. Another crucial feature the client wanted was the ability for users associated with landlord accounts to view specific site markers on the interactive map. This was made possible through:
H3 Geospatial indexing: The interactive map uses hexagonal grids to visualise and break down the area into accurate quadrants, supporting decision-making for optimal EV charging point placement. H3 is also seamlessly integrated with geospatial tools like Mapbox for enhanced hierarchical indexing, improving the platform’s functionality.
Google Street View and Mapbox: Both tools enhanced site assessment accuracy with visual inspection and geospatial analysis through customisable maps and real-world street views. Both tools eliminated the need for physical visits when evaluating potential EV charging locations.
Employing AWS S3: An object storage service that offers scalable, durable, and secure storage solutions for a variety of data types, ensuring high availability and low latency. Given the client’s evolving requirements, AWS S3 emerged as the ideal choice for its flexibility. This tool allows for rapid development and adaptation, making it well-suited to meet the client’s changing needs while maintaining robust performance.
To meet the project’s tight timelines, we ensured that the MVP’s development progressed swiftly. The following actions were crucial for our teams to deploy the core features of the platform efficiently:
Host the financial model logic within a Python microservice: We implemented a system that enables rapid development and testing of new features while minimising time spent on testing short-lived functionalities. Python improves management and scalability for future product iterations. Its extensive library support also enables quick integration of essential features, fostering the growth and adaptability of the MVP.
Leverage Next.js for rapid and efficient development: This React framework supports server-side rendering and static site generation, enabling faster application builds. With Next.js, we can host both APIs and pages within the same framework, allowing us to deliver code quickly and flexibly to meet the client’s diverse MVP feature requirements.
Optimise frontend frameworks with Vercel hosting: Vercel has a user-friendly setup that allowed us to launch the MVP in just a few days, thanks to its robust deployment features like automatic scaling, instant rollbacks, and global Content Delivery Network (CDN). Vercel’s efficiency allowed our team to concentrate on feature development instead of infrastructure management.
Product design
During the discovery phase, we identified that commercial landlords often lack the data and tools needed to make informed decisions about EV charging infrastructure. They want to manage bids and tools on their own. To help them make better-informed decisions, we held workshops to figure out what features they need and improve the product design, so it gives them more control.
At the same time, we tailored the product to meet the needs of Charge Point Operators (CPO) who required robust capabilities to place bids on specific sites, with access to essential documents provided by landlords during the tendering process.
Key functionalities for CPOs included the ability to submit PDFs and provide detailed bid information. Additional features were also developed, such as site sharing, authentication, favourites, performance optimisation, site discovery filters, and financial forecast integration.
In close collaboration with the client’s internal team, our team carefully designed and built an MVP with features addressing the needs of both end-users (commercial landlords and CPOs):
- Interactive maps: Easily identify suitable locations through visual representation.
- Layered data: Toggle various data layers, such as traffic patterns, proximity to amenities, and existing EV chargers.
- Seamless user experience.
We created a cohesive design language focusing on map-based interactions. This language simplified functions for the engineering team by standardising UI components for map interactions. Additionally, visual layers facilitated easy integration and consistent presentation, ensuring the platform worked seamlessly across devices.
Ultimately, we aligned every aspect of the MVP with the client’s vision, ensuring that the solution met both technical and business objectives and established a solid foundation for success.
Agile work methodologies
At the start of the project, the client’s team faced challenges with tracking, identifying, and refining features due to unstructured processes. To address these hurdles and meet the client’s ambitious project goals, our Client Partners played a pivotal role in aligning teams on realistic timelines and resource constraints. Acting as a bridge between stakeholders, they ensured seamless communication, shared regular progress updates, and clarified the project scope to foster a shared understanding of milestones and deliverables.
Our Client Partners also introduced and facilitated essential agile practices such as sprints, stand-ups, and retrospectives. They established a project roadmap to streamline workflows, covering discovery, refinement, planning, and evaluations. By embedding these agile principles into the collaboration, Client Partners enabled the team to meet deadlines, scope tasks accurately, and adopt a sustainable workflow. This approach not only strengthened the partnership but also set the foundation for ongoing improvement, ensuring the client was well-positioned for long-term success.
The Deliverables
Shadcn UI is a component library that provides pre-designed UI elements, while Tailwind CSS is a utility-first CSS framework that allows for rapid and flexible styling of web applications. The entire client website was built using Shadcn, it was very flexible and allowed us to build and iterate on website designs quickly.
Closing the Engagement
We delivered a visually impactful platform with a well-considered UI, aligning the client’s vision to drive the growth of power and charging infrastructure. Throughout the collaboration, we implemented an Agile approach, establishing robust processes and integrating them into a streamlined product lifecycle. This included adopting best practices such as early and frequent testing to ensure continuous improvement during the project. Our collaboration enabled the client to secure £2.3M in pre-seed funding and achieve the successful deployment of over 300 EV charging points across the UK within just three months of the product’s launch, marking a strong start toward their ambitious target of 300,000 installations.
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