Nordic Gains for UK Electric Vehicle Charging Company

LONDON, July 26, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

POD Point builds smart energy stronghold in Scandinavia

Electric vehicle charging software and hardware specialist POD Point (http://www.pod-point.com) has announced its expansion into Scandinavian territories through a series of strategic partnerships with energy and electricity supply companies and automotive manufacturers.  

Partnerships with utility company Nord-Trøndelag Elektrisitetsverk AS (NTE), electrical supply company Proxll AS, and Nissan dealerships across the Nordic countries, mean POD Point is now supplying hardware and software to Europe's most advanced electric vehicle markets - Sweden, Norway, and Denmark.

POD Point CEO Erik Fairbairn: "Nordic countries were early and rapid adopters of electric and hybrid vehicles, and these territories represent a huge opportunity for companies who enter partnerships with energy companies and transport infrastructure suppliers".  

The revenue from electric vehicle charging equipment sales in Europe is expected to reach $1.3 billion by 2020, according to a recent report from Pike Research^[1] which highlighted the diversity of EV charging markets in Europe.  The report also pointed towards the need for back office systems to simplify billing for EV charging services and provide a user-friendly interface for EV drivers.  

Erik Fairbairn commented: "The market is currently dominated by a handful of hardware providers, each with their own proprietary back office systems and software.  This model is not sustainable - customers will expect interoperability and choice of software independent of charge point hardware.  POD Point is leading the industry closer to that goal."

POD Point's partnership with NTE includes Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP) software, which connects charging stations and central systems from different vendors.  Developed by E-Laad in the Netherlands, the OCPP platform is fast becoming the European industry standard (see http://www.pod-point.com/software).  

The company is expecting strong sales growth as the recommended charge point supplier for Toyota Europe which is launching the plug-in Prius in multiple European countries later this year.  

Erik Fairbairn added: "We are seeing strong growth from Europe.  Sales of our home charging products are increasing as new electric cars and plug in hybrids are introduced, and our strong partnerships with car manufacturers and energy companies will ensure our leadership position as infrastructure is rolled out."

About POD Point:

POD Point is the recommended charge point supplier of Toyota Europe for the plug-in Prius, which is launching in multiple European countries later this year.

POD Point already supplies Nissan dealerships in several wave 1 markets across Europe.  

POD Point has agreements with Norwegian energy supplier Nord-Trøndelag Elektrisitetsverk AS (NTE), and electrical supply company Proxll AS which operates in Norway, Sweden and the Baltic states.  

POD Point supplies hardware and software to Danish electric mobility operator Clever, which is running Europe's largest and longest real-world EV driving test, involving 2,400 drivers over 2 years and is collecting data about driving patterns, intelligent charging and the influence of electric vehicles on the energy net.

1. Pike Research: Electric Vehicle Charging Equipment in Europe.  Available at pikesearch.com