E-mobility trend: smart, shared charging to prevent blackouts and save money

In countries such as Austria and the Netherlands, the expansion of electric mobility raises a concern: are power grids ready to handle the energy demand associated with charging millions of electric vehicles (EVs)?

Industry experts warn that, unless smart decisions are made, bottlenecks could arise, threatening the stability of the electricity system.

In response to this scenario, go-e, an Austrian manufacturer of alternating current (AC) stations and other EV accessories, is leading a consortium of 13 stakeholders that proposes shared charging managed by intelligent algorithms.

“We are researching the future of EV charging in a context where 80% of vehicles are electric. We do not believe major investments in grid infrastructure are necessary to prevent blackouts, provided a shared and efficient charging system is implemented,” says Christian Philipp, Chief Commercial Officer at go-e, in a conversation with Mobility Portal Europe.

The key to this approach is ensuring that sstations do not operate in isolation, but rather as part of a coordinated network optimised according to energy availability.

“If energy is managed using a smart algorithm, vehicles can be charged when there is a surplus. And if that energy is shared efficiently, it’s possible to charge multiple cars even with limited power input,” explains Philipp.

In this regard, the company is promoting a paradigm shift: from large individual DC devices to stations with multiple low-cost charging points featuring integrated components.

“We envisage stations with 150 or 200 DC points, where power and communication electronics are unified. That would allow the cost per point to drop to under 20 euros,” he highlights.

The goal: to increase the reach and availability of infrastructure without overloading the grid or driving up costs.

Here, the integration of electric vehicle charging with renewable sources plays a key role.

The company highlights that, on average, a car in the European Union travels 32 kilometres per day.

This means that if it is charged for just 20 minutes a day — whether at work, shopping centres, or at home — and done so during periods of sunshine or wind, the impact on the grid is significantly reduced.

“In this way, there is no need for major investment or sophisticated solutions. Just coordination, intelligence, and efficient use of resources,” he states.

About Shared Charging

A consortium led by go-e, made up of 13 technology companies from Carinthia and Styria, energy and grid operators, and research institutions, was awarded a 6.4 million euros research project by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) in February last year.

The initiative, which will run for four years, will investigate how “Shared Charging” can enable all sectors of the population to charge an EV in an equitable, collective, and cost-effective way using renewable energy sources.

The goal of the research is to develop a sustainable network in public and semi-public spaces through the development of new technologies and innovative business models.

The project comprises several phases, including complex calculations of grid utilisation models for EV charging and solar energy feed-in across different geographical contexts and at any time of the day or year.

Go-e focuses on semi-public charging

This year, the company is placing emphasis on solutions for private charging, fleet management, and surplus photovoltaic (PV) charging.

“We are targeting the semi-public community. This could include hotels, restaurants, small or large fleets,” says Philipp.

The company is addressing this segment with the go-e Charger PRO.

The fixed wall-mounted device, equipped with all the smart features expected from go-e, is also compatible with the ISO 15118 V2X standard and Plug & Charge, offering even greater convenience and charging efficiency thanks to these innovations.

Its power ranges from 1.4 to 11/22 kilowatts, depending on the number of phases (single-phase or three-phase).

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