How We Built Japan's Gamified EV Charging App — and Why the Client Came Back a Third Time
Three projects. One client. A platform now covering 56,000 chargers across Japan.
A Japanese client we'd already delivered two projects for came back with a third — this time to build a gamified EV charging locator app that would help drive electric vehicle adoption nationwide. That repeat trust shaped how we approached the work: with the same standards they'd already held us to.
By the Numbers — 2025
In 2025, the platform reached key milestones that reflect our commitment to delivering tangible results:
- 806 active user accounts
- 56,000 chargers deployed across Japan
- 23,718 charging stations mapped and live
- A platform operating at national scale across Japan's EV infrastructure
What We Built — and How
We led the product roadmap from the start — mapping out the architecture before a single line of code was written. The core of the app combines real-time EV station mapping, geofencing, and route planning with gamification mechanics designed to keep users engaged beyond their first session.
The Stack
The platform was built for performance and long-term scale:
- Python + Django for backend APIs and system scalability
- PostgreSQL for efficient handling of geolocation and user data
- Flutter for cross-platform, native-quality mobile apps (iOS & Android)
- Custom UI/UX design to maximize usability and adoption
The cross-platform Flutter build meant one codebase for iOS and Android — reducing delivery time and long-term maintenance overhead for the client.
Our Role Beyond the Build
Shipping the app was the beginning, not the end. After launch, we stayed involved across:
- Strategic infrastructure planning to support future scalability
- Backend performance optimization during high-demand scenarios
- Feature enhancements based on insights from early user behavior and client feedback
- Long-term product roadmapping aligned with the client's nationwide EV rollout objectives
This was our third project with the same client. They didn't need to look elsewhere. See the first project — Custom Order Management System for Restaurants — and the second — IoT-Integrated Golf Simulation Game.
The client now has a platform operating at national scale, built by a team that understood their product well enough to contribute to three iterations of it. That's the outcome. That's the standard we work to.
More from This Client Partnership
Project 1 — Custom Order Management System for Restaurants A full-stack OMS built from zero, now serving 1,700+ restaurants across Japan with multi-million yen in annual revenues. Read the case study →
Project 2 — IoT-Integrated Golf Simulation Game A 2D/3D golf simulator using Unity, Objective-C, and Kotlin — with real IoT hardware integration for motion tracking. Read the case study →
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