MOBEV, the Portuguese startup founded just a year ago, is setting the pace in the electric mobility market in Portugal.
Jorge Grilo, its CEO and founder, has devised a comprehensive strategy to facilitate the energy transition for vehicle fleets in businesses and individual clients alike.
His approach, focused on simplification and accessibility, could become the model to follow in a sector that still faces significant challenges.
What is your short-term ambition? “This year, we expect to finish above half a million, and next year we aim to reach new targets,” he tells Mobility Portal Europe.
MOBEV was born from Grilo’s own experience when he sought to manage the transition of a company fleet to electric vehicles (EVs).
“The main problem is that you have one company providing the chargers, another doing the project, another for the installation, and so on,” he explains.
In this regard, he emphasises: “I realised there was a lack of an all-in-one solution.”
This market fragmentation drove him to seek a unified solution that would cover all aspects of the process.
By founding MOBEV, he established a model where the company handles every phase, from the initial consultancy to the final installation, allowing clients to deal with a single point of contact.
The analysis of fleet electrification potential is fundamental to MOBEV.
“We offer a free evaluation of fleet size, the total cost of ownership, and propose which vehicles can be switched to electric. We take care of everything,” Grilo explains.
In this way, he analyses each infrastructure individually and ensures a prompt budget to provide the most suitable solution for his clients.
Currently, MOBEV collaborates with companies such as Siemens and Hellonext in its range of charging solutions, and it plans to expand its portfolio of commercial partners in the near future.
The firm is not only focused on the private sector but has also started collaborating on public projects.
Despite being a young company, it is achieving significant milestones such as the installation of chargers at Freeport, a major shopping centre in Portugal.
With a team of just three people, the company demonstrates that a small structure can be efficient and competitive.
Grilo manages the budgets and the MOBEV’s oversight, while his colleagues handles operations and technical support.
Additionally, he assures: “When we need more staff for a specific project, we hire. This gives us the flexibility needed to remain competitive.”
As the company grows, they plan to recruit more personnel to expand operations and improve service.
MOBEV focuses on maintaining high-quality standards in each of its projects, ensuring that customer satisfaction remains a top priority.
It is worth noting that their offering also integrates renewable energy solutions.
“We work with batteries and inverters to optimise energy usage,” says Grilo.
“Our strategy is to accompany companies in their energy transition, not only in the electrification of fleets but also in the adoption of sustainable practices,” he adds.
MOBEV’s perspective on the Portuguese eMobility market
This also addresses one of the major obstacles that electric mobility faces in Portugal, according to Grilo.
He points out that over 70% of Lisbon residents do not have access to a garage, which limits their ability to charge an EV.
What solution does he propose? “My vision is to install more lower-powered chargers to democratise access to charging,” he argues.
In this context, he suggests that instead of installing 11-kilowatt (kW) chargers, more 3 kW equipment should be deployed.
“Cars are parked for at least 12 hours. They don’t need to charge at maximum power,” he explains.
Therefore, he advocates that in large cities, more lower-powered chargers should be installed.
This approach, according to him, not only optimises the use of urban space but could also help mitigate the energy crisis facing Europe.
Lower-powered equipment allows more users to access charging, something that Jorge Grilo believes should be a priority for charge point operators (CPOs).
“Of course, we need fast chargers on the streets for when we don’t have time to ‘refuel’,” he notes.
However, in large cities, “we have to be realistic.”
“If you don’t have a garage and there are energy issues, you need to reduce the power and increase the number of chargers,” he stresses.
