Created an EV charging report.
The EV charging report helps six electric vehicle fleet businesses manage operations and cut costs.
01/ Summary
The Product
Verizon Connect Enterprise Fleet
Fleet is a software solution designed to help manage large fleets efficiently. It offers vehicle monitoring and ensures driver compliance with ELD (Electronic Logging Device), HOS (Hours of Service), and EV (Electric Vehicle) management. Fleet is used by major businesses such as Costco and Aussiemove International.
The Problem
The EV market is expanding rapidly, and we have integrated EVs into our fleet management solutions. However, there currently isn't a user-friendly way for customers to see the charging status of their EVs.
Customer Request
On the history report, the charging periods are not shown in the Speed-Heading column; there's just a blank space where charging time should be indicated.
This makes it difficult for customers to easily track the State of Charge (SOC) evolution during these periods.
The Solution
By creating a detailed report, we can eliminate the immediate pain points and provide a platform for feedback and ongoing improvement.
The Value
With the new report you will be able to see battery performance, trends, and make informed decisions around business improvements
My Role
I led the project from start to finish by:
-
Conducting competitor research.
-
Performing market analysis.
-
Identifying limitations and opportunities from fleet OEMs.
-
Designing the report.
-
Monitoring outcomes.
02/ Process
Research
We held a brainstorming session with cross-functional teams (CFTs), including product and engineering, to understand the problem and explore potential business opportunities while keeping the user at the center. During this session, we researched:
-
Current fleet reporting patterns.
-
Graph usage.
-
The EV market.
-
Competitor analysis.
-
Other styles of report generation.
02 / 01
Detailed research process
Image of discussing the opportunity in the EV report with a customer (details blurred for privacy).
Customer Research
I reached out to our research team to conduct research on the requirements for the EV report, specifically to understand what customers were actually asking for.
02 / 02
Understanding The Requirement
Start and end times of charging.
-
Energy used during charging.
-
Cost of charging.
-
Distance traveled after charging.
Potential Data from Hardware:
-
Battery Metrics: Battery size (kWh), current charge level (%), voltage, and temperature.
-
Vehicle Diagnostics: Error codes, engine performance metrics, and maintenance schedules.
-
Usage Data: Distance traveled, driving patterns, energy consumption, and charging history.
-
Environmental Conditions: External temperature, humidity, and weather conditions during trips.
02 / 03
Getting a rough idea on customer needs -> collecting the required data based on customer needs -> data that should be displayed
Details for Reports:
-
Energy Consumption: Calculated as Energy Used = Battery Size (kWh) x Battery Level Increase (%).
-
Performance Analytics: Efficiency metrics, time to full charge, and range estimates.
-
Vehicle Health: Diagnostic error codes, maintenance alerts, and part wear and tear.
-
User Behavior: Driving patterns, trip history, and energy-saving tips based on driving habits.
-
Environmental Impact: Carbon footprint estimates based on energy usage and driving pattern.
Concept Design
I completed multiple iterations of the design for the report. Initially, I started with a vertical layout, then moved to a horizontal report with a summary at the top. The final design decision was to keep things minimal while ensuring it was easy for users to understand.
02 / 04
03/ Outcome
Final Design
Why this design ?
The design structure provides insights for both the vehicle and the driver over a 7-day period or a week. It offers a clear understanding for users with details such as:
-
Start Time: When the charging session began.
-
Duration of Charging: How long the charging session lasted.
-
State of Charge (SOC): The progression from point A to point B.
-
Distance Traveled: The distance covered since the previous charge.
-
Energy Used: The amount of energy consumed during charging.
-
Odometer Increase: The change in odometer reading.
-
Location of Charging: Where the charging took place.
Customer Benefits
-
Start Time and Duration of Charging: Helps plan and optimize charging schedules.
-
State of Charge: Provides insights into battery health and efficiency.
-
Distance Traveled: Assists in route planning and management.
-
Energy Used and Cost of Charging: Helps in monitoring and managing expenses.
-
Odometer Increase: Tracks vehicle usage and maintenance needs.
-
Location of Charging: Identifies optimal charging spots and usage patterns.
Gathering customer feedback 😊
-
Customer A:
"I like it by the vehicle number. The charging duration looks good." -
Customer B:
"The state of charge information is helpful for understanding charge levels."
"The distance since last charge and odometer readings are useful." -
Customer C:
"Having this report available on Verizon Connect would be valuable since I'm in Verizon daily."
"The location data for charging is very helpful for planning."
Supporting the engineering team by aligning with the concept design created to produce this report.
Hand-off and Support
I handed off the design to the engineering team and provided continuous support throughout the development process.
Impact
20%⏏
increase in NPS (Net Promoter Score)
12%⏏
decrease in detractors
Six major EV companies using Verizon Connect Fleet benefited from this initiative, resulting in increased customer satisfaction with EVs. This was confirmed via phone conversations with specific customers.