e-Totem already operates in various cities in France with its own model: it integrates the entire charging value chain, from hardware to the digital systems that manage the service.
Along that path, Spain already hosts flagship projects that serve as gateways to the market:
“We’re in talks with various municipalities and regions to begin rolling out our business model. We’ve launched operations at Port Forum and Port Vell, in Barcelona,” says Hervé Sonneville, the company’s president.
However, the executive emphasises that this is not the only location in their sights.
During “e-Totem Day”, he revealed that talks are underway with other Spanish cities to expand their deployment.
The goal is clear: to extend their model into urban areas with diverse realities and, above all, specific needs.
You’re in a phase of expanding your reach and growing the business… Which countries are you targeting?
e-Totem has existed as a brand for almost 15 years and as a company for 12.
We’ve been carrying out major projects in cities for over five years. Now we want to bring that experience to Europe, starting with Spain.
You’ve already made a start there, haven’t you?
We’re already active through private projects, but we also want to work with public administrations.
Additionally, we have plans for Germany and England. These are our three goals for 2025.
And what differences do you notice between those markets?
The pace of transition varies greatly.
Spain is waking up, and it makes perfect sense to bet on electric cars, given its capacity to generate renewable energy. France, in contrast, relies on emission-free nuclear energy.
In both cases, using local energy for mobility is logical. With EV prices dropping, the potential in Spain is enormous.
The MOVES Plan has also given new momentum to the transition, hasn’t it?
Yes, without a doubt.
The subsidies support the movement. Without that backing, the transition stalls. We see it every time incentives disappear. That support is essential.
Which business model is e-Totem prioritising for this growth? Public collaborations, private investments?
We cover various models. On one hand, we offer turnkey stations for companies or shopping centres that want to invest. On the other, we can finance projects, especially in cities or centres that currently cannot afford the investment.
e-Totem can even combine both models in hybrid schemes, sharing the financing and the client’s involvement.
Can the essence of e-Totem be summarised in one sentence?
Indeed, what sets e-Totem apart is the integration of the entire value chain in the service of charging.
We do everything—from equipment to service—through to the digital systems that manage it.
We know you work with very specific public charging solutions. What have been the main challenges, and how have you overcome them?
Each project has enabled us to develop new solutions. For example, we created a new product range, E-City and E-Fast, which combine slow and fast charging with the same design.
We developed the concept of Interactive Smart Charging, where the customer controls the charging level.
In Saint-Étienne, we launched the on-demand terminal model, offering users the possibility of placing the equipment near their home.
In Montpellier, we created an interface with the public transport system (MASH). In Nantes, we included charging for electric bikes. Each city pushed us to innovate.
The sector evolves at a dizzying pace. How do you stay up to date without losing efficiency?
Precisely by integrating all competencies, which gives us agility. We can act on the equipment, systems and service.
It allows us to think of the entire chain as a single product/service and respond quickly.
Today, urban charging hubs are no longer just isolated points. How do you envision the charging stations of the future?
e-Totem is working in cities where space is limited, so we seek compact and functional solutions.
At the same time, we are developing stations with complementary services for both light and heavy vehicles, making it possible to make good use of charging time.
We’re designing high-power, multi-use stations to deploy in different cities.
Heavy-duty transport seems to be the biggest pending challenge in eMobility. How are you addressing it?
It’s a relatively new market, but we are interested due to its technical complexity.
Charging heavy vehicles demands more from the equipment in terms of both duration and power. Moreover, their usage patterns are different.
We need to develop specific technical and service solutions. It’s also crucial to maximise the use of electrical grid connection points, since creating them is difficult. It’s essential that a single point serves both heavy and light vehicles.
In terms of projects, which would you consider the most representative success story?
Every city has taught us something, but Montpellier was special.
There, we developed an interface with the city, special tariffs, connection with the MAS, and a control system to ensure that vehicles actually charge and free up space. We’ve implemented several user-oriented innovations.
Let’s move on to specific goals… Do you have a concrete objective for the Spanish market in 2025?
Spain is a priority. We want to establish ourselves in at least one significant city—if not Barcelona, then another with a considerable population—that allows us to demonstrate our service capacity.
After 15 years of experience, I imagine you’ve identified some common mistakes. Which would you highlight, and how do you address it?
More than mistakes, I’d say the biggest challenge is getting stakeholders to understand the diversity of use cases. Residential, professional, destination charging… they’re all very different.
Our speciality is building technical solutions and tariff systems that respond well to each need, with good service and at the best price.
Is there anything you would have liked to add?
Just to say I hope we see each other soon in front of an e-Totem station—perhaps in the Barcelona marinas…
