Hypervolt began a limited beta release of version 5.0.0 of its mobile app for iOS and Android on 17 October 2023, the company said in a blog post announcing the release1. The rebuild of the app follows two and a half years of the product being on the market and draws on customer feedback, according to the post1.
The beta opens with an initial set of 50 users on iOS and 50 users on Android, with access granted automatically on a first come, first served basis1. Hypervolt said it will monitor progress to address bugs or issues and will increase the number of beta places over the weeks to come, in preparation for a full public release1.
"Starting today , we are opening up a limited beta release of version 5.0.0 of the Hypervolt App for both iOS and Android."
The release adds home power generation data for households with solar, wind or hydro generation, showing how much energy the app believes is being generated off-grid and how much is being drawn from the energy provider1. Hypervolt states that these figures are estimates rather than direct measurements, because most installations will not have the second CT clamp needed to measure generation from the local source directly; the app compares power coming in from the grid with power going through the charger to the vehicle1. The release also includes a visual redesign intended to make key controls and data easier to find, clearer charger status indications, a dark mode, and a replacement of the Bluetooth stack used for commissioning, testing and connecting a device to an account1.
Feedback for iOS users is submitted through the built-in TestFlight functionality, while Android users are asked to email feedback@hypervolt.co.uk with screenshots and an explanation of what they were trying to do and what happened1.
Why it matters for households
For a household with a home charger, the app is the main interface for seeing when a car is charging, why it is not, and whether the charger is online1. The new generation data is aimed at showing when a car is being charged from locally generated energy rather than from the grid, and at helping a household understand what it has saved by doing so1. Because the figures are estimates derived from comparing grid import with power delivered to the vehicle, rather than direct measurement of generation, they depend on the pattern of power flows at the time rather than on a dedicated generation meter1. Households without a second CT clamp will not have direct measurement of local generation1. The Bluetooth changes affect the setup steps that connect a charger to a home network and account1.
What happens next
Hypervolt said it will add more beta places over the weeks to come and aims to finalise the app for a general release in the coming weeks1. No date for the full public release has been given1.
Sources1 cited
- Hypervolt - Mobile App v5.0.0 now available for beta | Hypervolt, blog.hypervolt.co.uk