Supporting the startup’s growth through design
JOLT is an Australian electric vehicle (EV) charging company on a mission to make EV infrastructure more accessible. JOLT also operates as a media platform, displaying advertisements on its chargers and within its mobile app. My primary role is the mobile app product designer improving interactions and the user experience. But in classic start-up fashion, I supported marketing teams in their web design, socials.
Client
JOLT
Industry
EV charging
People involved
Me - Product Designer, Product manager, 2 Devs and CEO
Scope of work
User research, wireframes, UI design, interactive prototype, usability testing
The goal
While JOLT’s physical infrastructure was expanding rapidly, the original app was falling short. Users were struggling to start a charge, causing a surge in support tickets and user frustration. At the same time, the business wanted to better showcase ad placements inside the app to support revenue growth and expand to other countries.
JOLT needed a redesigned mobile experience that would be fast, intuitive, and supportive of both user and commercial goals.
The process
Working as the sole designer, I took a lean, iterative approach. I started by analysing customer complaints, support tickets and existing app analytics. I also conducted user interviews, attended EV expos, and tested the original app with EV drivers to uncover key friction points.
From there, I collaborated with product and built a fresh, scalable design system aligned to JOLT’s bold brand. Using Material Design as and foundation to create high-fidelity mobile prototypes while working closely with developers to bring the new app to life in React Native.
I stayed grounded in the EV community, actively listening in online forums like Facebook Groups and reddit, and regularly testing the app at charging sites allowed me to be a truly empathise for the users.
Design challenge
One of the core challenges was understanding the inconsistencies across competitor apps. Each EV provider uses a different charging flow, which leads to user confusion. I focused the design around app-first activation. By positioning primary actions in a consistent position, reducing the number of screens to navigate and allowing users to save their charge plug to allow an ‘Auto charge’ feature, new and existing EV drivers experience reduced errors and increasing satisfaction. Another challenge was to incorporate ads in the app so that the business can stay sustainable. We know no one likes interruptive ads, so I pushed our stakeholders to ensure the primary flow does not get interfered. Instead we’ve made ads feel more native and only display them when the user is either waiting for the charger to activate and when the user is currently charging and waiting. This fine balance led to zero complaints Along the way, I reimagined how advertisements appeared in the app, making them feel more native while not interrupting the user’s goal. This fine balance improved the user experience while allowing the business to better deliver value to advertising partners.
The outcome
The redesigned app delivered a more intuitive, consistent experience for users—especially during the critical moment of starting a charge. Usability testing showed a drop in user errors and improved satisfaction across new and returning users.
Key UX improvements included:
A clearer step-by-step charging flow
Reduced steps and cognitive load
Clearer CTAs and surface-level charger info
More engaging and informative charging screen
Seamless integration of native ad placements
The updated interface helped reduce support requests and gave JOLT a more polished platform to support both EV drivers and advertising partners.
This was one of the most rewarding projects I’ve worked on. It pushed me to solve real-world usability issues while balancing user needs with commercial outcomes. I loved building a design system from the ground up and refining the app through testing and feedback.
It was also a great opportunity to learn more about designing hybrid apps and collaborate closely with developers to bring the experience to life.
