End-to-end UX for a new EV navigation app
Designing trust into every journey: helping drivers navigate with confidence.
Automotive and mobility sector | April 2023 -> ongoing
Shipped globally in 2023
End-to-end UX for a new EV navigation app
Designing trust into every journey: helping drivers navigate with confidence.
Automotive and mobility sector | April 2023 -> ongoing
Shipped globally in 2023
End-to-end UX for a new EV navigation app
Designing trust into every journey: helping drivers navigate with confidence.
Automotive and mobility sector | April 2023 -> ongoing
Shipped globally in 2023
<- Before: relying on third-party apps that often weren’t fully compatible.
-> After: a holistic EV companion. Integrated with the car’s systems, tailored to EV needs, and designed to adapt in real-time.
Why this mattered
For a multinational automotive group with several well-known car brands, EV drivers lacked a native navigation experience. If they wanted maps or route planning, they had to download third-party apps — sometimes clunky, often not fully compatible with their specific model, and not always integrated with the car’s battery data. This createed unnecessary friction in an area where confidence and trust are everything.
Our challenge was to design a seamless, branded navigation app that drivers can rely on to plan routes, manage charging, and arrive at their destination with confidence.
MY ROLE
End-to-end UX Designer, leading the full process from discovery to delivery.
THE PROBLEM
EV drivers in this automotive group lacked a native navigation solution, relying on third-party apps that often weren’t fully compatible.
THE OUTCOME
The company’s first dedicated EV navigation app, shipped globally, designed to build trust and simplify every journey.
KEY LEARNING
Strengthening my experience as UX lead—balancing product strategy, technical constraints, and user needs in a high-stakes, international project.
Why this mattered
For a multinational automotive group with several well-known car brands, EV drivers lacked a native navigation experience. If they wanted maps or route planning, they had to download third-party apps — sometimes clunky, often not fully compatible with their specific model, and not always integrated with the car’s battery data. This createed unnecessary friction in an area where confidence and trust are everything.
Our challenge was to design a seamless, branded navigation app that drivers can rely on to plan routes, manage charging, and arrive at their destination with confidence.
MY ROLE
End-to-end UX Designer, leading the full process from discovery to delivery.
THE PROBLEM
EV drivers in this automotive group lacked a native navigation solution, relying on third-party apps that often weren’t fully compatible.
THE OUTCOME
The company’s first dedicated EV navigation app, shipped globally, designed to build trust and simplify every journey.
KEY LEARNING
Strengthening my experience as UX lead—balancing product strategy, technical constraints, and user needs in a high-stakes, international project.
Why this mattered
For a multinational automotive group with several well-known car brands, EV drivers lacked a native navigation experience. If they wanted maps or route planning, they had to download third-party apps — sometimes clunky, often not fully compatible with their specific model, and not always integrated with the car’s battery data. This createed unnecessary friction in an area where confidence and trust are everything.
Our challenge was to design a seamless, branded navigation app that drivers can rely on to plan routes, manage charging, and arrive at their destination with confidence.
MY ROLE
End-to-end UX Designer, leading the full process from discovery to delivery.
THE PROBLEM
EV drivers in this automotive group lacked a native navigation solution, relying on third-party apps that often weren’t fully compatible.
THE OUTCOME
The company’s first dedicated EV navigation app, shipped globally, designed to build trust and simplify every journey.
KEY LEARNING
Strengthening my experience as UX lead—balancing product strategy, technical constraints, and user needs in a high-stakes, international project.
From requirements to clarity
The project kicked off with a long list of requirements and user stories from the client, complete with an initial prioritization. On paper, it looked structured. In reality, there were ambiguities everywhere: what exactly did each feature mean? Where in the app did it belong? And did the proposed priorities reflect real user needs?
I worked closely with stakeholders to untangle the list, validate assumptions, and reframe the scope into something actionable. This wasn’t just admin work — it was the foundation for building trust across the team and ensuring that design decisions aligned with business goals from the very beginning.
From requirements to clarity
The project kicked off with a long list of requirements and user stories from the client, complete with an initial prioritization. On paper, it looked structured. In reality, there were ambiguities everywhere: what exactly did each feature mean? Where in the app did it belong? And did the proposed priorities reflect real user needs?
I worked closely with stakeholders to untangle the list, validate assumptions, and reframe the scope into something actionable. This wasn’t just admin work — it was the foundation for building trust across the team and ensuring that design decisions aligned with business goals from the very beginning.
From requirements to clarity
The project kicked off with a long list of requirements and user stories from the client, complete with an initial prioritization. On paper, it looked structured. In reality, there were ambiguities everywhere: what exactly did each feature mean? Where in the app did it belong? And did the proposed priorities reflect real user needs?
I worked closely with stakeholders to untangle the list, validate assumptions, and reframe the scope into something actionable. This wasn’t just admin work — it was the foundation for building trust across the team and ensuring that design decisions aligned with business goals from the very beginning.
Long list of requirements from client.
Features structured as user stories and sorted into relevant user journey phase.
Mapping the experience
To move from a raw list into something coherent, I led the creation of a feature map. This made the navigation and hierarchy of the app tangible for everyone — from product owners to developers.
But before jumping into wireframes, I introduced a functional screen architecture: a high-level map that linked features to their respective screens. This gave us a bird’s-eye view of scope and dependencies. For the team, it became a source of truth: every screen had a defined role, every feature had a home, and nothing slipped through the cracks.
Mapping the experience
To move from a raw list into something coherent, I led the creation of a feature map. This made the navigation and hierarchy of the app tangible for everyone — from product owners to developers.
But before jumping into wireframes, I introduced a functional screen architecture: a high-level map that linked features to their respective screens. This gave us a bird’s-eye view of scope and dependencies. For the team, it became a source of truth: every screen had a defined role, every feature had a home, and nothing slipped through the cracks.
Mapping the experience
To move from a raw list into something coherent, I led the creation of a feature map. This made the navigation and hierarchy of the app tangible for everyone — from product owners to developers.
But before jumping into wireframes, I introduced a functional screen architecture: a high-level map that linked features to their respective screens. This gave us a bird’s-eye view of scope and dependencies. For the team, it became a source of truth: every screen had a defined role, every feature had a home, and nothing slipped through the cracks.
Research & validation
In parallel, I ran benchmarking of competitor and OEM EV apps. The goal wasn’t to copy, but to understand industry norms — and spot the gaps where we could differentiate. Combined with stakeholder interviews and conversations with EV drivers, this research grounded our prioritization.
For instance: while competitor apps generally worked well within their own brand ecosystems, they weren’t available for these car models. Third-party apps, on the other hand, often missed key integrations — like factoring in the driver’s exact vehicle configuration or real-time state of charge (SoC). This gap shaped one of our core design principles: designing for trust — ensuring that drivers could rely on accurate, car-specific information for range, charging availability, and arrival confidence.
Research & validation
In parallel, I ran benchmarking of competitor and OEM EV apps. The goal wasn’t to copy, but to understand industry norms — and spot the gaps where we could differentiate. Combined with stakeholder interviews and conversations with EV drivers, this research grounded our prioritization.
For instance: while competitor apps generally worked well within their own brand ecosystems, they weren’t available for these car models. Third-party apps, on the other hand, often missed key integrations — like factoring in the driver’s exact vehicle configuration or real-time state of charge (SoC). This gap shaped one of our core design principles: designing for trust — ensuring that drivers could rely on accurate, car-specific information for range, charging availability, and arrival confidence.
Research & validation
In parallel, I ran benchmarking of competitor and OEM EV apps. The goal wasn’t to copy, but to understand industry norms — and spot the gaps where we could differentiate. Combined with stakeholder interviews and conversations with EV drivers, this research grounded our prioritization.
For instance: while competitor apps generally worked well within their own brand ecosystems, they weren’t available for these car models. Third-party apps, on the other hand, often missed key integrations — like factoring in the driver’s exact vehicle configuration or real-time state of charge (SoC). This gap shaped one of our core design principles: designing for trust — ensuring that drivers could rely on accurate, car-specific information for range, charging availability, and arrival confidence.
Research snapshots: competitor apps, user interviews, and benchmarks that shaped our priorities.
From wireframes to implementation
Once priorities were clear and validated, I moved into wireframes. These were built in iterative cycles: test, refine, align, repeat. The UI Designer in the team worked in parallel, setting the component library and visual direction. Together, we established a design system that could scale across car models and markets.
As the project matured, the focus shifted into implementation. Features are now prioritized in PI-planning cycles, dependencies are managed across multiple development teams, and the navigation app continues to evolve.
"Amazing app because it communicates directly with my car and knows how much battery my car has in real time and adjusts accordingly."
App Store review
The outcome
The project delivered the carmaker’s first dedicated EV navigation app. It shipped globally across several models in 2023 and set the foundation for continuous improvement.
Most importantly, it reduces reliance on third-party apps and gives drivers a navigation tool they can trust.
