If you want to see the other platform of the project see: https://github.com/JosephMaltese/EV-Easy-Host
ReservePower's presentation during the opening ceremony sparked our inspiration for this project. Their innovative approach to addressing energy grid challenges motivated us to explore how technology could be used to reduce grid strain while gamifying renewable energy usage. We wanted to create a platform that not only incentivizes sustainable behavior but also simplifies the EV ownership experience. After brainstorming, we identified key pain points like charging congestion and real-time information access, which led us to create Easy EV.
Easy EV aims to provide EV drivers with an intuitive platform to find charging stations, view real-time capacity, costs, and CO₂ savings, and gamify sustainability through user rankings. For charging station hosters, we offer tools to optimize station usage by incentivizing less congested stations with discounts and recommendations.
This project was a deep dive into new technologies and collaborative teamwork. We learned:
- TypeScript: Leveraging type safety and catching errors early in development.
- Next.js and React: Building a fast, scalable, and dynamic user interface for seamless user experiences.
- Supabase: Managing backend services, authentication, and database operations.
- Collaboration Skills: Effectively dividing tasks, resolving conflicts, and combining our efforts to deliver a cohesive product.
Working with new technologies came with its fair share of hurdles:
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Supabase Setup: Setting up the backend was complex, especially understanding its integration with authentication and real-time updates. We encountered several bugs, such as data not syncing correctly or issues with permissions, but resolved them through thorough documentation review and experimentation.
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Next.js Routing: Managing dynamic routing in Next.js was initially confusing. We struggled with routing bugs and understanding the nuances of server-side rendering (SSR) versus client-side rendering (CSR), which required debugging and refactoring parts of our codebase.
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Learning Curve: Adopting multiple new tools simultaneously was overwhelming, but it pushed us to improve our problem-solving skills and adaptability.
Despite the challenges, the journey was immensely rewarding. We not only developed a functional platform but also gained valuable technical skills and experience working as a team. Easy EV is our contribution to a more sustainable future, combining technology, innovation, and gamification to make EV ownership simpler and greener.
Finishing up the platform, adding the reservation integration to supabase, fixing some bugs with concurrent requests!