Designing Ubiquiti’s EV Charger System

Defined cross-platform experiences across hardware, web, and mobile interfaces to support both EV users and enterprise administrators.

Background

Ubiquiti provides professional-grade enterprise solutions across networking, surveillance, and access control. Its core products include routers, switches, Wi-Fi access points, IP cameras, and door systems — all designed to be self-managed and centrally controlled through its UniFi Controller platform, without relying on third-party operators or subscriptions.

 

To expand this ecosystem, the company set out to enter the EV charging space and develop a charger product that integrates natively into its existing infrastructure.

Most competitors design their UX around account creation, billing, and session tracking, reflecting their bundled service models. Since our product doesn't rely on these layers, we needed to rethink the entry point and core interaction flow.

UX Challenge

The hardware’s form factor and specifications were already finalized (Android-based, 10.1-inch touch display), but the product had no defined user experience, usage flows, or strategic direction. I joined the project to establish the UX foundation from scratch.

My Key challenges

  • Designing across charger UI, mobile app, and web dashboard with consistent logic and experience
  • Supporting both enterprise administrators and casual end users within a self-managed system
  • Leveraging the on-device screen and camera to enhance feedback, guidance, and setup flow
  • Aligning new interactions with Ubiquiti’s existing design standards and deployment models
  • Building a scalable framework to support future charger variants and features

Research

I analyzed several leading U.S. providers, including ChargePoint, Tesla, EVgo, Electrify America, and Blink. I focused on how each product used its on-device interface, the types of user interactions supported, and the assumptions made about user familiarity and context.

References gathered from online sources and user-uploaded content, organized in FigJam for internal discussion and comparison.

Concept Development

In the early design phase, I explored environmental setups and user journeys within enterprise spaces. I proposed three charging activation methods and defined the information needs of both EV users and administrators, including interface flows and configuration pages for admin tools.

Alpha Testing & UX Feedback

After aligning the design concept with the CEO and internal stakeholders, I worked with firmware and QA teams to implement the first functional prototype. This initial version was distributed for internal and alpha user testing. We gathered feedback through questionnaires and Ubiquiti’s community platform.

Key feedback related to software and UX included

  • Standalone charging supportSome users requested a simplified mode where the charger can function independently, without requiring connection to the UniFi Console. This was especially important for garages or parking lots where full network setup is impractical.
  • Load management needsIn larger parking facilities, users highlighted the need for coordinated power control to avoid electrical overload and reduce operational costs. Chargers needed to intelligently share a common power source.
  • Payment optionsIn addition to multiple authorization methods, users expressed interest in supporting payment features directly for EV owners.

Design Outcome

Based on testing and user feedback, the team continuously iterated and refined the experience.
The first-generation EV Station was launched at the 2023.

Defined idle UI states by unlock method and surfaced charging info to drivers based on user needs and feasibility.

Designed the experience for general users (e.g., employees or visitors) using the Identity App to locate and access chargers assigned by the admin via Bluetooth. Additionally, defined the admin experience for monitoring device status, usage data, and adjusting settings through the Connect App.

Leveraged the screen capabilities to offer an optional feature that plays slideshow or video-type digital signage when the device is idle and not in use.

Enabled admins to manage all chargers through the web-based console, including performing load management and reviewing usage statistics.

Designing Beyond Launch

Following launch, our team continued expanding the product’s features and value. Among the most anticipated additions were a built-in payment system and a more accessible hardware variant, EV Station Lite.

Payment System

To support EV charging payments, we partnered with a third-party provider that allowed site owners to apply for merchant accounts. I designed the admin flow for payment onboarding, including merchant application pages, pricing configuration, and the card payment flow for end users.

EV Station Lite

Based on insights from the first-generation launch, Ubiquiti introduced a more affordable variant, EV Station Lite, designed for use cases that didn’t require a built-in screen or camera. I was responsible for maintaining design consistency across mobile and web interfaces, ensuring a seamless user experience across the product line. The on-device interface also followed the same visual and interaction principles to reflect Ubiquiti’s brand identity.

Product Impact

As a hardware-focused enterprise product, the EV Station system has been adopted by over 1,000 enterprise users, with overwhelmingly positive feedback—from both users and executive leadership.

Selected NPS survey comments from enterprise users:

  • “Just keep up the good work. You're always coming up with awesome new ideas.” – ★ 10/10, United States
  • “It works and is very user friendly.” – ★ 10/10, United Kingdom
  • “Amazing enhancement! You're doing great, guys!!” – ★ 10/10, United States
  • “Ease of use.” – ★ 9/10, United States
  • “It's becoming a platform that exceeds its original architecture.” – ★ 10/10, United Kingdom

Direct feedback from Ubiquiti’s CEO:

“I’m using EV Station Pro and it is a great experience.”

YouTube Reviews & Hands-on Impressions

Several YouTubers shared hands-on experiences with the EV Station, highlighting its intuitive interface and seamless installation process. These real-world reviews not only praised the user experience but also helped surface additional needs and opportunities for future improvement.

Icons

LinkedIn

© 2025 Mason Chang. All Rights Reserved.

Designing Ubiquiti’s EV Charger System

Defined cross-platform experiences across hardware, web, and mobile interfaces to support both EV users and enterprise administrators.

Background

Ubiquiti provides professional-grade enterprise solutions across networking, surveillance, and access control. Its core products include routers, switches, Wi-Fi access points, IP cameras, and door systems — all designed to be self-managed and centrally controlled through its UniFi Controller platform, without relying on third-party operators or subscriptions.

 

To expand this ecosystem, the company set out to enter the EV charging space and develop a charger product that integrates natively into its existing infrastructure.

Most competitors design their UX around account creation, billing, and session tracking, reflecting their bundled service models. Since our product doesn't rely on these layers, we needed to rethink the entry point and core interaction flow.

UX Challenge

The hardware’s form factor and specifications were already finalized (Android-based, 10.1-inch touch display), but the product had no defined user experience, usage flows, or strategic direction. I joined the project to establish the UX foundation from scratch.

My Key challenges

  • Designing across charger UI, mobile app, and web dashboard with consistent logic and experience
  • Supporting both enterprise administrators and casual end users within a self-managed system
  • Leveraging the on-device screen and camera to enhance feedback, guidance, and setup flow
  • Aligning new interactions with Ubiquiti’s existing design standards and deployment models
  • Building a scalable framework to support future charger variants and features

Research

I analyzed several leading U.S. providers, including ChargePoint, Tesla, EVgo, Electrify America, and Blink. I focused on how each product used its on-device interface, the types of user interactions supported, and the assumptions made about user familiarity and context.

References gathered from online sources and user-uploaded content, organized in FigJam for internal discussion and comparison.

Concept Development

In the early design phase, I explored environmental setups and user journeys within enterprise spaces. I proposed three charging activation methods and defined the information needs of both EV users and administrators, including interface flows and configuration pages for admin tools.

Alpha Testing & UX Feedback

After aligning the design concept with the CEO and internal stakeholders, I worked with firmware and QA teams to implement the first functional prototype. This initial version was distributed for internal and alpha user testing. We gathered feedback through questionnaires and Ubiquiti’s community platform.

Key feedback related to software and UX included

  • Standalone charging supportSome users requested a simplified mode where the charger can function independently, without requiring connection to the UniFi Console. This was especially important for garages or parking lots where full network setup is impractical.
  • Load management needsIn larger parking facilities, users highlighted the need for coordinated power control to avoid electrical overload and reduce operational costs. Chargers needed to intelligently share a common power source.
  • Payment optionsIn addition to multiple authorization methods, users expressed interest in supporting payment features directly for EV owners.

Design Outcome

Based on testing and user feedback, the team continuously iterated and refined the experience.
The first-generation EV Station was launched at the 2023.

Defined idle UI states by unlock method and surfaced charging info to drivers based on user needs and feasibility.

Designed the experience for general users (e.g., employees or visitors) using the Identity App to locate and access chargers assigned by the admin via Bluetooth. Additionally, defined the admin experience for monitoring device status, usage data, and adjusting settings through the Connect App.

Leveraged the screen capabilities to offer an optional feature that plays slideshow or video-type digital signage when the device is idle and not in use.

Enabled admins to manage all chargers through the web-based console, including performing load management and reviewing usage statistics.

Designing Beyond Launch

Following launch, our team continued expanding the product’s features and value. Among the most anticipated additions were a built-in payment system and a more accessible hardware variant, EV Station Lite.

Payment System

To support EV charging payments, we partnered with a third-party provider that allowed site owners to apply for merchant accounts. I designed the admin flow for payment onboarding, including merchant application pages, pricing configuration, and the card payment flow for end users.

EV Station Lite

Based on insights from the first-generation launch, Ubiquiti introduced a more affordable variant, EV Station Lite, designed for use cases that didn’t require a built-in screen or camera. I was responsible for maintaining design consistency across mobile and web interfaces, ensuring a seamless user experience across the product line. The on-device interface also followed the same visual and interaction principles to reflect Ubiquiti’s brand identity.

Product Impact

As a hardware-focused enterprise product, the EV Station system has been adopted by over 1,000 enterprise users, with overwhelmingly positive feedback—from both users and executive leadership.

Selected NPS survey comments from enterprise users:

  • “Just keep up the good work. You're always coming up with awesome new ideas.” – ★ 10/10, United States
  • “It works and is very user friendly.” – ★ 10/10, United Kingdom
  • “Amazing enhancement! You're doing great, guys!!” – ★ 10/10, United States
  • “Ease of use.” – ★ 9/10, United States
  • “It's becoming a platform that exceeds its original architecture.” – ★ 10/10, United Kingdom

Direct feedback from Ubiquiti’s CEO:

“I’m using EV Station Pro and it is a great experience.”

YouTube Reviews & Hands-on Impressions

Several YouTubers shared hands-on experiences with the EV Station, highlighting its intuitive interface and seamless installation process. These real-world reviews not only praised the user experience but also helped surface additional needs and opportunities for future improvement.

Icons

LinkedIn

© 2025 Mason Chang. All Rights Reserved.

Designing Ubiquiti’s EV Charger System

Defined cross-platform experiences across hardware, web, and mobile interfaces to support both EV users and enterprise administrators.

Background

Ubiquiti provides professional-grade enterprise solutions across networking, surveillance, and access control. Its core products include routers, switches, Wi-Fi access points, IP cameras, and door systems — all designed to be self-managed and centrally controlled through its UniFi Controller platform, without relying on third-party operators or subscriptions.

 

To expand this ecosystem, the company set out to enter the EV charging space and develop a charger product that integrates natively into its existing infrastructure.

Most competitors design their UX around account creation, billing, and session tracking, reflecting their bundled service models. Since our product doesn't rely on these layers, we needed to rethink the entry point and core interaction flow.

UX Challenge

The hardware’s form factor and specifications were already finalized (Android-based, 10.1-inch touch display), but the product had no defined user experience, usage flows, or strategic direction. I joined the project to establish the UX foundation from scratch.

My Key challenges

  • Designing across charger UI, mobile app, and web dashboard with consistent logic and experience
  • Supporting both enterprise administrators and casual end users within a self-managed system
  • Leveraging the on-device screen and camera to enhance feedback, guidance, and setup flow
  • Aligning new interactions with Ubiquiti’s existing design standards and deployment models
  • Building a scalable framework to support future charger variants and features

Research

I analyzed several leading U.S. providers, including ChargePoint, Tesla, EVgo, Electrify America, and Blink. I focused on how each product used its on-device interface, the types of user interactions supported, and the assumptions made about user familiarity and context.

References gathered from online sources and user-uploaded content, organized in FigJam for internal discussion and comparison.

Concept Development

In the early design phase, I explored environmental setups and user journeys within enterprise spaces. I proposed three charging activation methods and defined the information needs of both EV users and administrators, including interface flows and configuration pages for admin tools.

Alpha Testing & UX Feedback

After aligning the design concept with the CEO and internal stakeholders, I worked with firmware and QA teams to implement the first functional prototype. This initial version was distributed for internal and alpha user testing. We gathered feedback through questionnaires and Ubiquiti’s community platform.

Key feedback related to software and UX included

  • Standalone charging supportSome users requested a simplified mode where the charger can function independently, without requiring connection to the UniFi Console. This was especially important for garages or parking lots where full network setup is impractical.
  • Load management needsIn larger parking facilities, users highlighted the need for coordinated power control to avoid electrical overload and reduce operational costs. Chargers needed to intelligently share a common power source.
  • Payment optionsIn addition to multiple authorization methods, users expressed interest in supporting payment features directly for EV owners.

Design Outcome

Based on testing and user feedback, the team continuously iterated and refined the experience.
The first-generation EV Station was launched at the 2023.

Defined idle UI states by unlock method and surfaced charging info to drivers based on user needs and feasibility.

Designed the experience for general users (e.g., employees or visitors) using the Identity App to locate and access chargers assigned by the admin via Bluetooth. Additionally, defined the admin experience for monitoring device status, usage data, and adjusting settings through the Connect App.

Leveraged the screen capabilities to offer an optional feature that plays slideshow or video-type digital signage when the device is idle and not in use.

Enabled admins to manage all chargers through the web-based console, including performing load management and reviewing usage statistics.

Designing Beyond Launch

Following launch, our team continued expanding the product’s features and value. Among the most anticipated additions were a built-in payment system and a more accessible hardware variant, EV Station Lite.

Payment System

To support EV charging payments, we partnered with a third-party provider that allowed site owners to apply for merchant accounts. I designed the admin flow for payment onboarding, including merchant application pages, pricing configuration, and the card payment flow for end users.

EV Station Lite

Based on insights from the first-generation launch, Ubiquiti introduced a more affordable variant, EV Station Lite, designed for use cases that didn’t require a built-in screen or camera. I was responsible for maintaining design consistency across mobile and web interfaces, ensuring a seamless user experience across the product line. The on-device interface also followed the same visual and interaction principles to reflect Ubiquiti’s brand identity.

Product Impact

As a hardware-focused enterprise product, the EV Station system has been adopted by over 1,000 enterprise users, with overwhelmingly positive feedback—from both users and executive leadership.

Selected NPS survey comments from enterprise users:

  • “Just keep up the good work. You're always coming up with awesome new ideas.” – ★ 10/10, United States
  • “It works and is very user friendly.” – ★ 10/10, United Kingdom
  • “Amazing enhancement! You're doing great, guys!!” – ★ 10/10, United States
  • “Ease of use.” – ★ 9/10, United States
  • “It's becoming a platform that exceeds its original architecture.” – ★ 10/10, United Kingdom

Direct feedback from Ubiquiti’s CEO:

“I’m using EV Station Pro and it is a great experience.”

YouTube Reviews & Hands-on Impressions

Several YouTubers shared hands-on experiences with the EV Station, highlighting its intuitive interface and seamless installation process. These real-world reviews not only praised the user experience but also helped surface additional needs and opportunities for future improvement.

Icons

LinkedIn

© 2025 Mason Chang. All Rights Reserved.