An EV charging app development company is really building three connected products: a driver app for finding, starting and paying for a charge, a charger management backend that speaks OCPP to the hardware, and dashboards for the operator who runs the network. The driver only sees the first, but the reliability of all three decides whether a session actually starts when someone plugs in.
Three products, one platform
Charge point operators, fleet owners, real estate developers and automakers all ask for "an EV app", but they usually need some combination of these pieces:
- Driver app: station discovery, live availability, booking, session start and stop, payment, receipts and charging history.
- Charging station management system (CSMS): the server that chargers connect to, which authorizes sessions, receives meter values and sends commands.
- Operator and host dashboards: tariffs, uptime, faults, revenue reports, user support and site-host sharing arrangements.
If you are an operator deciding whether to build your own CSMS or license one and build the apps around it, describe your network to us and we will outline the trade-offs for your situation.
OCPP integration with real chargers
The Open Charge Point Protocol, maintained by the Open Charge Alliance, is the common language between chargers and backends. It runs over WebSockets, with the charger opening a persistent connection to your server.
Choosing a protocol version
OCPP 1.6J is still the most widely deployed version, and many chargers in the field support only that. OCPP 2.0.1 adds a richer device model, stronger security profiles with certificate-based authentication and better support for smart charging and ISO 15118 Plug and Charge. OCPP 2.1 builds on 2.0.1 with features such as bidirectional charging. Most platforms need to support at least 1.6J and 2.0.1 side by side.
Testing against real hardware
Vendors interpret parts of the specification differently, and firmware versions matter. Keep a test bench with the charger models you plan to deploy, use OCPP simulators for load testing, and log every message so field issues can be replayed. Ask whether the vendor has worked through charger onboarding before, because this is where timelines slip.
Smart charging and load management
Sites with many chargers on a limited grid connection need charging profiles that share available power across sessions. Fleets add scheduling against departure times and off-peak windows. Design the CSMS so these limits can change per site without code changes.
Station discovery drivers can trust
Nothing frustrates a driver more than arriving at a charger that the map showed as available and finding it faulted. Discovery has to reflect reality:
- Live connector status from OCPP status notifications, not a static database.
- Filters for connector type, such as CCS2 and Type 2 for cars and the connectors used by two- and three-wheelers, plus power rating and access hours.
- Routing that considers the vehicle's range and the charger's real power output.
- Photos, entry instructions and parking notes contributed by hosts and moderated by your team.
Every charger reports through the same pipeline as any other connected device, so the patterns in our article on IoT device management platforms, such as firmware updates, heartbeats and fault alerts, apply directly.
Booking, sessions and payments
A session moves from authorization to start, meter updates, stop and billing. Each step needs a timeout and a recovery path, because connectivity at parking lots is often poor.
Starting a session
Drivers may start with the app, a QR code on the charger, an RFID card or, on supported hardware, Plug and Charge. Reservations can hold a connector for a short window, with clear rules on no-shows.
Billing and wallets
Tariffs may be per unit of energy, per minute, with idle fees after charging ends, or a mix that varies by site and time of day. GST-compliant invoices should be generated automatically. Many operators use a prepaid wallet for small, frequent payments.
Wallet compliance in India
A closed-system wallet usable only for your own services is treated differently from a semi-closed wallet usable with other merchants, which needs RBI authorization as a prepaid payment instrument issuer. Confirm the structure with your advisers before building, because it changes the product.
Roaming and operator dashboards
Drivers prefer one app that works across networks. OCPI, the Open Charge Point Interface, is the common protocol for roaming between charge point operators and e-mobility service providers, covering locations, tariffs, sessions and settlement data. Even if roaming is not in your first release, structuring your location and tariff data the OCPI way makes later integration much easier.
Operator dashboards should show charger uptime, failed sessions by cause, energy delivered by site and open support tickets. Site hosts need their own limited view of usage and earnings. The data feeding these views is high-volume telemetry, so plan storage and retention accordingly.
Picking an EV charging app development company
Ask candidates which OCPP versions they have implemented, how they test with hardware, how they handle chargers going offline mid-session and how they secure charger connections. iJurug Soft approaches these platforms through Discover, Design, Build, then Launch and grow, with senior engineers on the backend and apps and long-term support after launch. Our guide to IoT app development in India covers device pairing and dashboards that apply to charging networks too.
Frequently asked questions
Can we build only the driver app and use an existing CSMS?
Yes, if the CSMS exposes APIs for locations, sessions and payments. We check those APIs during discovery to confirm they support the experience you want.
Will the platform work with chargers from different manufacturers?
That is the purpose of OCPP. Expect some per-vendor adjustments, which is why hardware testing belongs in the plan.
Can the platform support fleet depots?
Yes. Fleet features include vehicle and driver accounts, scheduled charging and consolidated billing.
What happens if a charger loses connection during a session?
Most chargers keep charging and store meter values locally, then send them when the connection returns. The backend must accept these late messages, close the session correctly and bill from the stored readings.
Send us the charger makes and models you run or plan to buy, their OCPP versions, the number of sites and whether you serve public drivers, fleets or both. Use our project inquiry form or write to info@ijurugsoft.com. We will check hardware compatibility first, then propose a build-or-license plan and a clear quote.