What functionalities are typically controllable through apps in electric cars?

With the increasing popularity of electric cars, the need for apps which enhance the driving experience has also grown briskly. These apps are designed to help electric car owners manage & optimize their EV usage.

Such apps serve a number of functions, such as real time battery monitoring, journey planning, navigation, locating & accessing EV charging stations, and even control vehicular functions remotely. EV owners can keep an eye on their driving & charging habits, identify ideal routes and plan their journey accordingly, with the help of these apps.

These apps are connected to the electric car’s on-board control unit and collects vehicular performance information like battery state-of-health (SoH) and state-of-charge (SoH). This information is analyzed, transmitted and presented to the driver in a user-friendly manner to help manage the vehicle more efficiently.

Most of these apps also double down as an EV charging app and assist drivers to find routes with charging stations, monitor the charging process and pay online.

Apart from the above functions, some of these apps also come with features like EV parking booking, car service reminders, driving habits tracker, EV guide & forums, roadside assistance SOS and AC control (pre-cooling the car cabin).

Now let’s have a look at the apps of the 3 top electric car companies in India:

Tata Motors ZConnect app:

Tata Motors has the ZConnect app for its EV customers to connect with their electric cars. The automaker currently offers three electric cars: Nexon EV, Tigor EV & Tiago EV. Using the app, customers can remotely lock/unlock their cars, remotely turn lights on/off and even remotely precool their car cabin! Apart from the remote functions, the app gives vital information regarding battery charge status. Other features include weather updates, social forums and Android Auto & Apple CarPlay integration with the EV’s infotainment system.

The USP of the ZConnect app is that users can view trip-wise information such as distance travelled, average speed, maximum speed & range.

Hyundai Electric Cars & App:

Scan the barcode and download the EVJoints app to find 6,000 EV charging stations across various networks.

Click & download the EVJoints app to find 6,000 charging stations.

Hyundai India’s myHyundai app is a one-stop solution for its EV customers. Hyundai currently has two electric cars in its India portfolio: Kona Electric and Ioniq 5. The in-app features include car service reminders, real-time tracking, locating nearest EV charging stations, tyre pressure monitoring, requesting roadside assistance and remote functions (similar to Tata ZConnect’s). Users can also store car documents, get exclusive offers & discounts and book test drives through the app.

The USP of the myHyundai app is that customers can avail free pick-up & drop facility if they book service online via the app. Apart from this, in case of an accident, an auto call will be initiated to the car’s infotainment system and customer care will assist with emergency services.

My MG app:

My MG app is a feature-rich app for MG customers that combines functionality with user-friendliness. MG India currently offers two electric cars: the MG ZS EV & the Comet EV. The ‘My MG’ app is packed with features like service reminders, online service booking, one-tap roadside assistance, locating the nearest EV charging station and remote functions (lock/unlock, AC control, light on/off, honking).

Its USP is that users can calculate estimated cost of servicing via the app, and the app can be used as a digital key in place of the physical key.

Conclusion:

The EV industry is flourishing and the role of EV apps that can add to the user’s driving experience is also growing. The evolution of electric vehicles will take place side-by-side how users interact with their EVs through apps & in-car infotainment systems. The full potential of an advanced electric car can only be unlocked when the users connect themselves with their vehicle.