ICNC25: These are the E-Mobility innovations that shaped the event in Germany

With a record attendance of 8,500 industry specialists and a 20% increase compared to last year, the Intercharge Network Conference (ICNC25) reaffirmed its position as one of the most influential events in the European electric mobility sector.

Held from 2 to 4 September in Berlin, the conference brought together charge point operators (CPOs), e-mobility service providers (EMPs), original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and tech start-ups.

In this context, Mobility Portal outlines the key announcements and trends set to shape the future of charging infrastructure and interoperability in the coming months.

Launch of the ICNC Community

During the event, the launch of a new platform dedicated to fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange within the electric mobility sector was announced.

This community aims to connect individuals and organisations to drive progress and innovation across the industry.

Furthermore, the network seeks to act as a collective catalyst in supporting the goals of the European Green Deal 2035.

Elektrotrucker takes the crown

The eTrucker app, developed by Elektrotrucker, was awarded the 6th ICNC eMobility Start-Up Award after being nominated among the most innovative emerging solutions in the sector.

“Truck charging is currently the number one topic in the charging infrastructure industry, as it combines high revenue potential with the rapidly growing market,” explains Tobias Wagner, a representative of the company.

eTrucker is a tool designed to help truck drivers operate their vehicles efficiently, both in terms of cost and time.

“We directly connect CPOs with hauliers, enabling bilateral charging agreements that eliminate intermediaries and streamline logistics,” Wagner adds.

The solution was recognised for addressing one of the key bottlenecks in the shift towards zero-emission heavy-duty transport: the intelligent management of charging for commercial vehicles.

Ford and Octopus join forces to simplify EV Charging

Ford has announced a partnership with Octopus Energy’s electric vehicle (EV) charging platform, Electroverse.

Starting in October, Ford customers will be able to download the Electroverse app and gain access to over one million public charging points across the app’s network.

The app not only displays charging locations and real-time availability, but also provides transparent pricing, enabling users to plan their journeys with ease.

Sven Pleines, manager, public charging at Ford Model e Europe, says: “We understand that for both private and business customers, public charging that is convenient, easy to use and good value is paramount.”

Matt Davies, director at Octopus Electroverse, states: “Public charging for EVs doesn’t have to be complicated, and we love showing drivers just how easy topping up on the go can be.”

XCharge Europe launches GridLink in the European market

XCharge Europe has officially launched its latest smart charging system, GridLink, in the European market.

Following a successful rollout and deployment in North America, the system has been fully adapted to meet EU regulations, featuring liquid-cooled thermal management and advanced fire suppression technology.

At its core, GridLink is powered by a patented 215 kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery, capable of delivering up to 194 kW of DC charging power, while requiring only 44 kW of AC input from the grid. This makes it an ideal solution for locations with limited grid capacity or where infrastructure upgrades are not economically feasible.

The battery unit is scalable up to 430 kWh and allows the charger to operate off-grid during power outages. A built-in 55-inch display offers an engaging user interface and can be used for dynamic and flexible advertising.

“GridLink enables operators to generate new revenue streams, enhance grid resilience and ensure multi-layered operational safety. We are proud to bring this technology to Europe at a time when the market is calling for more efficient and future-ready charging solutions,” says Albina Iljasov, XCharge’s Director for Europe.

Hubject launches cross-network EV booking solution for heavy-duty vehicles

Hubject, together with Bosch Road Services, FRYTE, and SBRS (a member of the Shell Group), unveiled a solution for the first fully interoperable reservation and POI data hub for commercial vehicles.

This pilot project, developed in the conceptual phase with the support of CPO experts OMV, SMATRICS, and CITYWATT, supports the OCPI 2.3 Booking Module and addresses the specific operational requirements of CPOs and EMPs.

These include the evolving responsibilities in the booking process, contractual and tariff considerations, and the handling of CDRs within an open ecosystem.

The solution leverages the OCPI 2.3 Booking Module to enable cross-network reservations, while also testing additional components such as tariff models, contract handling, and CDRs in an open ecosystem.

Unlike existing single-network solutions, this creates a foundation for fleet operators to book charging slots from multiple providers via a single interface.

“We are testing an interoperable, hub-based solution to clarify responsibilities, reduce integration efforts across the ecosystem, and increase scalability. This is especially relevant for commercial fleets with their strong focus on Total Cost of Ownership,” says Christian Hahn, CEO of Hubject.

Hubject joins the EVRoaming Foundation to strengthen collaboration around OICP

The electric vehicle market is growing rapidly and must expand efficiently. By aligning on a single global roaming protocol, the industry can reduce complexity and accelerate collaboration.

This shared commitment reflects the core belief of both the EVRoaming Foundation (EVRF) and Hubject: Interoperability is the key to success.

For the EVRoaming Foundation, this means that the global OCPI standard has finally been recognised and supported by the world’s leading EV roaming hubs.

For market players, such as operators and service providers, it will become cheaper to develop integrated, user-focused services—ultimately benefiting EV drivers through lower charging costs.

Discussions on fraud prevention, price transparency, and information quality will be supported by a unified EV roaming community.

Policymakers and regulators can begin to focus their efforts on a single roaming protocol, ensuring a fair and transparent market without lock-ins or competing standards, while also standardising data collection, such as the EU’s National Access Points.

The EVRoaming Council—currently composed of Gireve, ChargePoint, Octopus Energy, Plugsurfing, NKL, and Google—has been working since its establishment in 2020 to foster a community in which all (commercial) stakeholders are committed to the single purpose of delivering simple, high-quality EV roaming services through the OCPI roaming protocol.

By becoming a Full Contributor to the foundation, Hubject can now actively participate and contribute its expertise to the working groups.

Amperfied and Pionix collaborate on new DC fast charging solution

Unexpected interruptions during charging sessions are a common frustration for electric vehicle drivers and usually have a single root cause: communication issues between the vehicle, the charging station, and the management software.

To address this problem, Amperfied GmbH and Pionix GmbH are working together on a new DC fast charging solution: Amperfied Dynamic DC.

Their goal is to increase reliability through standardised software.

Marco Möller, CEO and co-founder of Pionix GmbH, states: “The close collaboration with Amperfied demonstrates how industrial-level availability requirements and innovative software development can complement each other.”

Robin Karpp, Managing Director of Amperfied GmbH, explains: “In addition to high-availability hardware, these software features contribute to ease of use as well as to our performance-based service offerings, such as the uptime model based on availability.”

To underline the strategic importance of this collaboration, both companies presented their joint talk at ICNC “Future-proof DC Charging with Outstanding Interoperability and Reliability”, highlighting the benefits of open-source software for the availability of charging infrastructure.

Autel Energy launches next-generation charging platform

At its “INFINITE POWER – STARTING FROM ZERO” Global Launch Event, Autel Energy Europe introduced its most advanced electric vehicle (EV) charging platform to date, a next-generation solution designed to meet the surging demand for ultra- fast, reliable, and scalable charging infrastructure across Europe and beyond.

Built on in- house engineered liquid-cooled power modules, the platform combines high performance with unmatched adaptability, providing operators flexible and scalable charging solutions that cover a vast majority of different use cases.

The event took place on Thursday, 4 September in Berlin, Germany.

“By developing our core power modules in-house and integrating them into scalable cabinet systems, high-performance terminals, and next-generation all-in-one chargers, we are providing flexibility and reliability for the evolving EV charging market,” said Andreas Lastei, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Autel Europe.

“Together with our intelligent service platform and AI capabilities —and full readiness for CCS, MCS, BESS, and PV— this launch provides a comprehensive foundation for building the charging networks of the future,” he added.

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