Powering the Future: the next Generation E-Charging Experience
Charging Stations
Re-defining the next generation or urban e-charging stations
The Challenge
Qwello, a fast-emerging urban e-charging brand from Munich, aimed to build on the success of their iconic first-generation product by redefining the future of charging solutions. This meant addressing the evolving and complex demands of urban infrastructure and specific city requirements, while also enhancing the user experience and product quality while strengthening brand recognition in this increasingly competitive market.
The Solution
Together we throughly studied the functional and technical requirements, analyzed the ideal user experience of the visual and physical process of e-charging. Our approach included a comprehensive assessment of the German and European markets, competitive landscape, and Qwello’s brand and product perception. Leveraging these insights, we developed the next generation of product solutions, for the tailored to diverse urban environments. Positioning Qwello as a leader in the growing European e-charging infrastructure market.
Versatile products for versatile markets
Evolving urban regulations led to a redesign of Qwello's charging solutions, keeping its commitment to continuously refining the product range to meet market demands. Qwello needed a solution for on-street parking that allowed two charge points to allow parallel use. This required a significantly smaller footprint and streamlined form factor to align with modern city demands. Additionally, Qwello sought to introduce two height variants: one featuring dual displays and another with a single display for greater flexibility.
Enhancing User Experience with Clear Visual Feedback
To deliver an intuitive and enjoyable user experience, we meticulously analyzed the entire user journey: from locating an available charging pole in a busy urban setting to successfully connecting the car, initiating charging, and completing payment. We introduced design elements like illuminated rings and colored highlights around the sockets and key touchpoints, providing immediate visual feedback. These cues were aligned with the app’s status indicators to create a cohesive digital-physical experience, ensuring simplicity and clarity for users. All this is part of Qwello's user focus DNA across all their products.
Evolving the Iconic Design Language
Building on Qwello’s brand identity and first-generation product, we developed an iconic triangular pole design that embodies a bold yet approachable aesthetic. This design focused on creating a distinct interaction area for each car, seamlessly integrating all physical and digital touchpoints for charging and payment.
Designed for Setup, Durability, and Serviceability
Throughout the design process, we collaborated closely with Qwello’s product and engineering teams to incorporate lessons learned from their first-generation product and feedback from key stakeholders, including city officials, local residents, and service teams. In the course of the development it included thorough field-testing for durability of its sturdy construction, providing vandalism resistance and rated IP54 for water ingress protection.The result is a solution optimized for quick setup, robust performance in urban environments, and straightforward maintenance, ensuring long-term reliability and usability for all stakeholders.
Highlights & Capabilities
Design for Manufacturing
From the outset, we worked closely with the internal engineering team to ensure that our design was not only user-friendly and durable in the demanding public environment but also fully compliant with local and national regulations. By carefully balancing functionality, resilience, and manufacturability, we created a solution that seamlessly integrates into urban spaces while withstanding daily use and exposure to the elements.
Physical Brand Presence
In addition to ensuring functionality and usability, we embraced the opportunity to create a strong physical representation of Qwello in public spaces. Our goal was to design a product family that is both iconic and memorable, yet harmoniously integrates into the urban landscape. The design establishes a clear connection to Qwello’s digital experience and embodies the brand’s identity, striking the right balance between visibility and subtlety.
