Ekoenergetyka’s Sustainable Bus Charging Vision for UK
Polish EV charging company Ekoenergetyka is set to launch into the UK as it seeks to replicate its dominance in many European cities.
It is also developing its first 1,000kw charging station – adding to its current range of 30kw to 400kw.
Talking to Sustainability Magazine at Mobility Re-Imagined – MOVE 2024, Neal Gaughan, Key Account Manager, UK & Ireland, said: “We have a very large share of electric bus charging in Europe.
“We have existed as a UK entity since August 2023 and should be making a big announcement soon.”
In its brochure for the UK market, CEO & Co-Founder Bartosz Kubik says: “We never wanted to be just a passive manufacturer of energy devices. Our mission is to develop emobility in Poland, Europe and the world.”
About the business
Bartosz and Maciej Wojenski founded the company in 2009, having originally explored EV charging for their university thesis.
The business initially focused on A/C charging points, but soon switched to being solely about D/C.
Neal said: “Everything we do is D/C, high-powered, fast charging.”
On its website, Ekoenergetyka says: “Driven by innovation and powered by a desire to reduce transport emissions, we develop and produce high power charging solutions for electric passenger cars, buses and HD vehicles.
“We are one of the pioneers in the e-mobility industry. In a decade, Ekoenergetyka grew from two to more than 400 employees (currently around 1,000) and has acquired customers throughout Europe and is now a Central and Eastern European leader in charging technologies.”
The company’s HQ and production base is located in Zielona Gora (which means ‘green mountain’) in western Poland.
UK is a different challenge
Neal said moving into the UK charging market presents different challenges to mainland Europe.
He said: “The UK market is much more about funding from the private sector. The UK government gives minimal funding, focusing more on tax incentives for fleets.
“The private sector is doing everything it can, but it needs more investment in infrastructure.”
He added: “But what makes us special is that we have developed a great reputation, with the trust of big operators.
“We’ve also just put 15m Euros into upgrading our facilities. Our reputation is for high quality production. We have equipment that has been on the ground for years and is still working the same as on day one.”
Putting it to the test
Neal said another element of excellence that sets Ekoenergetyka apart is its state-of-the-art testing equipment and regime.
He said: “We’ve got very impressive testing chambers that simulate all manner of conditions that stations may endure: extreme heat, snow, sand, salt water, ice and more.”
Neal added that he is optimistic about the future for the EV charging sector, saying: “You sometimes hear doom and gloom in the EV space, but most people are now accepting there’s a place for electric vehicles. And the business sector is leading the charge, embracing it.”
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