The Belgian company Pluginvest supports businesses in their transition to sustainable mobility, offering them both electric vehicle charging solutions and a variety of associated services.
Since its foundation in 2016, the company has forged significant partnerships with Colruyt Group, Bpost, VanBreda, and Van Wellen, with its latest collaboration being with Kia Belux.
Sander Hereijgers, the CEO of the firm, confirms this in an interview with Mobility Portal Europe.
“We have some new partnerships that are beginning to take shape, and the collaboration with Kia is very promising for us,” he asserts.
Both companies will provide a comprehensive offering that includes advanced charging solutions upon the acquisition of an EV at the dealership.
This coincides with the recent launch of the Kia EV9, a model that enables ultra-fast charging from 10% to 80% in 24 minutes and a range of up to 505 kilometers.
Pluginvest’s offering is available at Korean manufacturer’s agencies in Belgium and Luxembourg.
Furthermore, they have also reached an agreement with DATS 24, part of the Colruyt Group, where they have already installed their first pilot project at their retail stores.
Meanwhile, they expect to add 50 more locations with DC chargers during the next year.
“This project will be of great significance, and we are convinced that it will remarkably drive the transition to electric mobility in Belgium,” explains Hereijgers.
Together, they will contribute to a substantial infrastructure, both public and semi-public, and DC chargers in the country.
Currently, the territory has 30,400 charging points, 10,000 more than in 2022.
This number is expected to continue growing in 2024 to meet the significant demand for electric vehicles.
It is noteworthy that in just one year, the number of zero-emission cars in Belgium has almost doubled.
Registrations of these cars increased by 93.6% in 2023.
While there is a growing trend among individuals choosing sustainable driving, “almost nine out of ten” of the registered automobiles are owned by companies.
In February of this year, another significant milestone was reached, with 100,000 EVs on Belgian roads.
Meanwhile, 200,000 are expected by the end of 2023 or early January 2024.
“So, in a period of 12 months, we registered as many fully electric cars as in the last 10 years,” highlights the CEO of Pluginvest.
Growth is expected to persist next year, supported by political measures.
Hereijgers states that this is a highly competitive and dynamic market.
As pioneers in the charging industry, the company acknowledges a certain risk in the sector to maintain product quality at an optimum level.
Therefore, they consider it essential to raise the level of professionalism.
Pluginvest: Stands out in the charging sector
The headquarters of the charging point operator is located in Antwerp, Belgium, and has already begun its initial installations in France and Luxembourg.
They provide comprehensive B2B solutions for alternating and direct current charger hardware installation, along with all corresponding maintenance and management services.
This way, they support companies during their transition to electromobility.
They also offer a comprehensive set of installations for home environments as well as offices or retail associates.
Additionally, they conduct semi-public charging, providing a complete service from charging cables to stations.
Regarding power capacities, Pluginvest offers a full range from 22-kilowatt AC chargers to 350 kW DC equipment.
The company has smart charging solutions in which they integrate devices with energy management systems or external power measurement equipment.
Thus, charging electricity can be optimized based on network capacity or local renewable production.
Looking ahead, they intend to implement bidirectional charging, although it is still awaiting the standardization of such products and protocols.
“I believe the sector must unite and align on a standard to drive this, as we see considerable advantages in terms of flexibility and network services that we can offer with V2G,” he states.
The CEO of Pluginvest emphasizes that there are many concerns in the market, so the company not only provides advice but also workshops and guidance “to accelerate the eMobility transition.”
