Gold Mobile Technologies, Applications and Software Design · 2025
Sharge Private EV Charging Pile Sharing APP
by Fang Xu, Xuan Shen and Yongwen Dai
- A' Design Award 2025 Gold Winner in Mobile Technologies, Applications and Software Design
- Awarded April 15, 2025
- CLIENT: Sharge
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 71,656
- Verification code 43CFF2884D · Verify this award
About Sharge Private EV Charging Pile Sharing APP
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.
Fang Xu, Xuan Shen, Yongwen Dai's Sharge Private EV Charging Pile Sharing APP, recognized with a Golden A' Design Award in Mobile Technologies, Applications and Software Design, represents a distinguished achievement in contemporary interface design that addresses the emerging infrastructure needs of electric mobility with elegance and functional clarity. The application demonstrates sophisticated understanding of user-centered design principles, presenting a complex multi-stage process through an intuitive visual language that reduces cognitive burden while maintaining comprehensive functionality. The designers have crafted a coherent visual system where the recurring oval track motif and consistently positioned vehicle icon create immediate recognizability across interface states, allowing users to understand their position within the charging workflow at a glance. The chromatic strategy reveals thoughtful consideration of both aesthetic refinement and functional communication, with the strategic deployment of green serving as a universal indicator of progress, completion, and positive system status that transcends linguistic barriers. Technical accomplishment is evident in the precise typographic hierarchy, where temporal information receives appropriate visual weight through scale and positioning, enabling rapid comprehension of essential data points. The transition between light and dark interface modes demonstrates sensitivity to varied usage contexts, with the active charging screen's dark environment suggesting nighttime scenarios common to extended charging sessions while reducing visual fatigue during prolonged monitoring. The payment integration interface exhibits particular sophistication in its presentation of multiple transaction methods without visual clutter, organizing options through clear horizontal bands that invite straightforward selection. This work invites consideration of how thoughtful interface design can facilitate the adoption of sustainable technologies by removing friction from essential daily interactions, suggesting that the success of environmental infrastructure may depend significantly upon the quality of its human touchpoints.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- Sharge revolutionizes the EV charging landscape by transforming private charging piles into shared community resources. It enhances accessibility, convenience, and affordability in the EV ecosystem. By addressing the challenges of limited public charging and high costs, Sharge allows hosts to earn extra income and enhances the charging experience for drivers. This innovation promotes sustainability and supports the shift towards a greener future.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Sharge is a digital platform designed for mobile and web use. The mobile app is developed using React Native for cross-platform functionality, with backend services built on Node.js and a cloud-based infrastructure for scalability. It integrates Google Maps API for location-based services and Stripe API for secure payments. The platform supports real-time scheduling, video navigation, and a user rating system, ensuring seamless interaction between EV drivers and pile owners.
- Tags
- EV Charging, Sharing Economy, Sustainability, Decentralized Network, Passive Income, User-Centric Design, Urban Innovation, Resource Optimization, Clean Energy
- Production Technology
- Sharge was developed using UX research methodologies, iterative prototyping, and user testing to refine the platform. The app interface was designed with Figma for high-fidelity wireframes and interactive prototypes. React Native ensures cross-platform compatibility, while Google Maps API enables precise location-based services. Video integration and scheduling features were optimized through agile development, ensuring a seamless user experience and scalable implementation.
- Design Challenge
- The primary challenge involved balancing accessibility, affordability, and trust within a decentralized charging network. Ensuring that private charger owners felt secure sharing their chargers while maintaining a seamless experience for drivers was a key consideration. Social norms, lack of trust, and inconsistent regulations on private charging created additional obstacles. From a technological perspective, developing an intuitive interface with clear pricing, scheduling, and video navigation presented complexities. Addressing these challenges enabled the creation of a smooth, scalable solution for widespread adoption.
- Project Duration
- The project design started in January 2022 and ended in April 2022. The development is ongoing.
- Operation Flow
- Sharge operates like a community-driven EV charging network. EV drivers use the app to find nearby private charging piles, check availability, and book a time slot. Pile owners list their chargers, set prices, and earn extra income. Video navigation and clear pricing ensure a smooth experience. By sharing underutilized chargers, Sharge reduces costs, wait times, and reliance on public stations, making charging more accessible, convenient, and efficient for everyone.
- Research
- User-centered research was conducted to analyze the charging challenges faced by EV drivers and the needs of private charger owners, with the objective of optimizing underutilized private chargers and improving accessibility. The study utilized interviews, surveys, and usability testing to collect both qualitative and quantitative data. A total of five EV drivers and five private charger owners participated, highlighting key issues such as unclear pricing, difficulty in locating chargers, and low utilization rates. Based on these insights, features such as video navigation and scheduling tools were developed to enhance user experience and increase adoption. The findings contribute to business strategy, urban mobility improvements, and sustainability efforts, supporting a more efficient and accessible EV charging ecosystem.
- Inspiration
- Sharge was inspired by the sharing economy model and the urgent need for accessible, cost-effective EV charging solutions. With EV adoption rising, public infrastructure struggles to keep up, leaving drivers with long waits and high costs. Seeing underutilized private charging piles, we envisioned a community-driven network that optimizes resources, fosters sustainability, and enhances convenience. Our research on user behavior, urban mobility, and green energy shaped the platform’s design.
- Image Credits
- Fang Xu
Xuan Shen
Yongwen Dai - Patents
- Fang Xu
Xuan Shen
Yongwen Dai
Colors of Sharge Private EV Charging Pile Sharing APP
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G0E2 ShopDesign Interview about Sharge Private EV Charging Pile Sharing APP
Our main focus was to promote sustainable energy use and reduce environmental impact through more efficient utilization of existing EV charging infrastructure. By enabling the sharing of underused private charging piles, we aimed to minimize the need for new construction, reduce energy waste, and accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles. Ultimately, our goal was to contribute to a greener, more resilient urban ecosystem by making clean energy more accessible and practical for everyday users.
Our focus was to make EV charging more accessible, convenient, and affordable. We aimed to create a seamless platform that empowers EV drivers and charging pile owners alike, while contributing to a more efficient, sustainable urban ecosystem.
We plan to scale Sharge across cities, enhance its feature set, and explore integration with other clean energy and smart mobility systems. Our goal is to make Sharge a cornerstone of the future green energy landscape.
The core design of Sharge took approximately four months from concept to MVP, with continuous iterations based on user testing and feedback.
This was a self-initiated project born from our shared passion for sustainability, technology, and user-centered design. It was not commissioned; we pursued it out of our desire to address a real-world problem.
Currently, we are developing Sharge independently and intend to retain ownership, with plans to operate the platform ourselves. We are open to strategic partnerships but aim to stay true to our mission.
We were drawn to the intersection of mobility, technology, and sustainability. The rapid growth of EVs in China, combined with the underutilization of private charging infrastructure, presented a unique opportunity to make a tangible impact.
We drew inspiration from successful sharing economy platforms, map-based applications, and UX best practices. However, our design philosophy is uniquely shaped by our architectural background and commitment to sustainability.
Our primary users are EV drivers seeking accessible, affordable charging solutions, and private charging pile owners who want to monetize their underused resources. Together, they form a community that drives Sharge’s ecosystem.
Sharge’s uniqueness lies in its community-driven model, video navigation features, integrated amenity suggestions, and transparent pricing—all designed to foster trust, accessibility, and environmental impact.
“Sharge” is a fusion of “Share” and “Charge,” reflecting the core idea of shared EV charging. It’s concise, memorable, and speaks to both our functionality and our mission.
We used Figma for interface design and prototyping, React Native for app development, Google Maps API for location services, and Notion for team collaboration. We also relied on user research tools for surveys and testing.
The most unique aspect of Sharge is its combination of decentralized resource sharing, integrated video navigation, and a user-centric interface that transforms a complex task into a seamless experience.
Our core team consists of three designers with architectural and interaction design expertise. We also consulted with software engineers and EV industry experts to ensure technical feasibility and market relevance.
Technology is the enabler of Sharge. Without cross-platform app development, real-time data integration, location services, and secure payment systems, Sharge would not be possible. It’s a digital solution for a real-world sustainability challenge.
Absolutely. We conducted user interviews, surveys, and usability tests with both EV drivers and pile owners. We also analyzed market trends, energy policies, and urban mobility data to ensure our design addresses real pain points.
Balancing trust, usability, and scalability was a key challenge. We had to design a system that feels safe for private pile owners while being intuitive for drivers. Regulatory differences across regions also added complexity.
We believe in the power of sharing ideas on a global stage. The A' Design Award provided an opportunity to showcase our vision, learn from the design community, and inspire others to think about design as a tool for societal impact.
We deepened our understanding of user needs in the green mobility sector, strengthened our teamwork, and honed our ability to translate complex systems into simple, effective solutions. The process reinforced the importance of iterative design and staying user-focused.
Sharge is more than an app—it’s a reflection of our belief that design can create real change. It’s a call to action for designers, technologists, and citizens to collaborate in building a more sustainable, equitable, and connected world.
Grand Interview about Sharge Private EV Charging Pile Sharing APP
Sharge 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.