With the advancement of electromobility, European countries began to create associations to safeguard the interests of electric vehicle (EV) users and promote transport decarbonization.
Who are the leaders of these organizations and what do they propose?
Below, Mobility Portal Europe shares the details.
AEDIVE: Arturo Perez de Lucia Gonzalez
Founded in April 2010, the Business Association for the Development and Promotion of Electric Mobility (AEDIVE) is a spanish association of innovative companies that brings together the entire value chain of EVs.
Its essential purposes are “the management, representation, defense, and coordination of the common interests of its members, promoting and contributing to the promotion of the competitiveness of the sectors related to the entire value chain of electric mobility.”
Its General Director is Arturo Perez de Lucia Gonzalez, who also serves as the Vice President of the European Association for Electric Vehicles (AVERE).
“In a general context of market slowdown, including combustion vehicles, registrations of all types of electrified vehicles (passenger cars, two-wheelers, commercial, and industrial vehicles) have accumulated a decline of 7.3% up to August,” expresses the director in his social media.
He then adds: “We are confident that the arrival of new models, including electric cars with very competitive prices—around 13,000 euros with subsidies—and the expansion of the MOVES programme, will lead to an interesting fourth quarter for electric mobility“.
The association highlights the urgency of promoting electric mobility to achieve the objectives of the National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan (PNIEC), which estimates that by 2030, 5.5 million electrified cars should be circulating on Spanish roads.
It is worth mentioning that AEDIVE is part of the Spanish Technological Platform for Automotive and Mobility Move2Future and is one of the founding associations of the Inercia Alliance.
Also, it is an associate member of the European Group eMI3 for Communication and Information Technologies and interoperability of charging infrastructures and represents the Spanish market in the AVERE.
AVERE: Chris Heron
The tasks carried out by the European Association for Electric Vehicles (AVERE) aim to ensure that users of low or zero-emission vehicles have the smoothest possible experience, integrating charging infrastructure as needed.
It is the only European organization that advocates and promotes electromobility on behalf of industry, academia, and electric car users, both nationally and in the European Union.
Beyond promotion, it offers its members a space to exchange knowledge, experiences, and ideas on how to promote electromobility in the region.
The newly incorporated Secretary-General is Chris Heron.
Heron states on his LinkedIn profile that “it’s been a summer of difficult reading for Europe’s e-mobility ecosystem, with investments paused, temporary sales slowdowns, and other countries gaining prominence.”
However, he emphasizes: “AVERE has an exciting mission ahead to help keep Europe on track towards its 2035 zero-emission car sales target while seizing the real lasting benefits of e-mobility for our continent’s people and industries.”
Avere-France: Antonio Herteman & Clément Molizon
For 40 years, Avere-France has played a central role in representing electric mobility in France.
It is the reference entity on mobility issues for decision-makers and stakeholders alike.
The organization has worked and continues to work to establish a framework conducive to the deployment of mobility, whether through regulatory frameworks, incentives, or education.
Antoine Herteman, the re-elected President of Avere-France, leads the institution’s development projects along with Clément Molizon, General Delegate.
Molizon has expressed concern about electrified vehicles’ matriculations.
“For the first time in 2024, electric mobility has fallen below a 20% market share. This is also the third consecutive month in which registrations have declined compared to the same period in 2023,” he explains.
And he continues: “Although annual growth remains positive (+4.7 per cent), the slowdown observed across Europe in recent months has taken root”.
“Could 2024 fall behind 2023? We can expect that the arrival of new models in the fourth quarter will fill gaps in supply and bring renewed dynamism to the market,” he assures.
At Avere-France, they emphasize the importance of subsidies for industry companies to achieve the expansion of electromobility.
CharIN: Michael Keller
CharIN is a non-profit organization open to any company worldwide involved in the electric mobility business.
Their next objective is to define requirements for the evolution of standards related to the Combined Charging System (CCS) and for the certification of products based on this type of charging.
Over the past three years, they have expanded their focus to commercial vehicles, establishing requirements and standards for the development of the Megawatt Charging System (MCS).
“The MCS enables more sectors to electrify,” says CharIN Executive Board member, Michael Keller, in conversation with Mobility Portal Europe.
“The truth is that this technology provides nearly ten times more power than the current Combined Charging System (CCS),” he noted.
While truck electrification is being promoted, charging heavy-duty vehicles will require high energy capacity and availability at logistics centers and rest areas.
In this regard, he acknowledges that “it needs time to install the infrastructure for the large charging station and this has to improve more than what Europe aims for.”
EVA England: James Court
The Electric Vehicle Association (EVA) of England is an association founded in June 2020 to give a voice to current and potential drivers, with the aim of accelerating the transition to electric cars in England.
Since its inception, EVA Engalnd has advocated before the government and the media for a gradual phase-out of the sale of petrol and diesel cars by 2030.
Additionally, it has supported key regulations, such as public charging points by 2023.
Recently, they launched the “Constituency EV Map” and the policy report “Powering Up,” paving the way for a more sustainable future of transportation in the UK.
Its Chief Executive Officer is James Court.
He recently manifested his opinion regarding misinformation about electric vehicles.
“Over the past two years, we have seen a huge jump in negative stories coming from the press and social media,” he stated.
The CEO adds: “The result is a slew of damaging misinformation, which has gained the term FUD (fear, uncertainty, and doubt), showing little sign of respite.”
Nonetheless, Court also declared: “The EV sector has played its part in fighting back, however, working hard to highlight the overwhelmingly positive EV experience felt by most. This myth-busting exercise, led by so-called ‘FUDbusters’, has shown that already 86 per cent of people find owning an EV cheaper to run.”
EV Belgium: Romain Denayer and Philippe Vangeel
EV Belgium, the country’s leading federation committed to advancing zero-emission mobility, is accelerating efforts to drive the widespread adoption of electric vehicles (EVs).
By building strong connections between service providers and electric vehicle users, the organization aims to support the rapid transition to cleaner transportation solutions.
In June 2024, Philippe Vangeel, formerly of AVERE Europe, joined EV Belgium as its new director.
Vangeel emphasizes the dynamic growth of the EV market in Belgium, stating, “The Belgian EV market is progressing faster than in most other EU countries. In September alone, EVs accounted for almost 40% of new vehicle sales—a significant milestone as they became the best-sold motorisation in Belgium (just ahead of petrol at 37%).”
EV Belgium is also focused on fostering innovation in the sector. The organization works to develop essential tools, resources, and knowledge that enhance the quality of services and products, particularly around charging infrastructure and energy solutions.
Romain Denayer, EV Belgium’s coordinator, highlights the critical role of accessible charging infrastructure in promoting decarbonization: “Ensuring sufficient public charging stations is essential for reducing our transport emissions.”
He also points to the impending transformation in Belgium’s charging market, noting that as the number of EVs rises, there will be a growing need for public charging options.
Motus-E: Fabio Pressi
Motus-E is the first Italian association created by the initiative of leading industrial operators, the academic world, and environmental and opinion associations.
It seeks to foster the transition of the transportation sector towards sustainability, promoting electric mobility and disseminating the benefits related to environmental protection.
On March 25th, Fabio Pressi was elected as President of Motus-E. He is also the CEO of A2A E-Mobility.
“With half of the vehicles sold in July being electric, this marks a decisive moment in the global transition towards electric mobility”, Pressi stated in his LinkedIn profile.
He added: “This outcome not only highlights the success of China’s strategy in the sector but also underscores the significant advantage the country has gained over Western markets”.
“This phenomenon must be regarded as a competitive and innovative challenge for the global automotive industry. There’s no room for complacency,” Pressi determined.
Moreover, Motus-E points out that there are a series of minimum objectives that must be achieved within eleven years, requiring a coordinated and structured strategy at the national level.
In this regard, by 2030, 50 percent of registrations must be electric vehicles, and by 2035, it should reach 100 percent.
Half of the purchases of zero-emission buses for Local Public Transport must also be achieved by 2030, and the entire fleet by 2035.
Additionally, by 2030, at least 110,000 public access charging points and three million private, domestic, or commercial charging points must be installed.
Norsk elbilforening: Christina Bu
The Norwegian EV Association (Norsk elbilforening) has been actively working for the electrification of the transportation sector for over 25 years.
The Secretary-General of the association is Christina Bu.
“EVs are, of course, not sufficient to solve all environmental problems, and almost no one claims that they are. But it is a mistake to think that we must choose between promoting electric vehicles and public transport,” Bu points out.
“I would like people to agree that we should stop selling (or buying) new cars that run on fossil fuels and that we need strong measures for this to happen quickly,” she adds.
It is worth mentioning that the goal of this country is to ensure that all new passenger cars are completely emission-free by 2025.
Regarding this, Bu acknowledged at the time: “We have no chance of achieving the goal of 100 percent sales of light electric vans by 2025.”
While Norway has numerous challenges to address, the association is working on policies to achieve the set goals.
PIRE: Krzysztof Burda
The Polish Chamber for the Development of Electromobility (PIRE) is a non-profit organization that brings together entities involved in electromobility to promote sector growth.
For PIRE, it is essential to educate and advise companies, especially those not yet involved in the EV industry.
To share knowledge and experiences, they organize conferences, training sessions, and webinars.
Additionally, in collaboration with local governments and businesses, they create conducive conditions to facilitate a safe and comfortable transition.
Krzysztof Burda, president of PIRE, recognizes that, due to its location, “Poland is a perfect place to locate battery, component, and subassembly factories”.
He reveals that “the largest players such as LG Energy Solutions, Umicore, Sk Innovation, SK Nexilis” are located there.
“The market landscape is constantly changing – current companies invest in they invest in expanding production capacity, and announced investment projects are ongoing,” Burda states.
PSNM: Maciej Mazur
The Polish New Mobility Association (PSNM) is the largest industrial organization dedicated to shaping the market for electromobility and hydrogen technologies in Poland and the Central and Eastern European regions.
It unites leading brands across the entire electromobility value chain, creating a collaborative environment that includes vehicle and infrastructure manufacturers, charging operators and service providers, fuel and energy companies, and other entities active in sustainable transport.
With over 250 member companies, PSNM stands as the second-largest industrial organization in Europe by the number of associated legal entities.
PSNM boasts the largest team of electromobility experts and professionals in Poland: with a group of consultants and trainers, they implement training, consulting, and expert projects, cooperating with industry, administration, and society, and providing crucial knowledge and information essential for business development.
Their General Director is Maciej Mazur, who also occupies the role of president at AVERE.
“The number of newly installed high-speed direct current points this year could even double, thanks to the introduction of appropriate changes by the public administration,” Mazur commented on his social media.
“What is particularly important is that proposals for such specific solutions are already prepared and ready for implementation. The industry speaks with one voice today and is ready to support the central administration in the process of transforming Polish transport,” says the Director.
VDA: Hildegard Müller
With over 620 affiliated firms, the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA) represents the automotive industry in the Federal Republic of Germany.
Its members are classified into three main groups: car manufacturers, suppliers of car components, and companies specializing in the manufacture of trailers, special bodies, and buses.
With a horizon set on climate-neutral mobility by 2050, the organization is committed to a variety of sustainable technologies, including electric propulsion, e-fuels, and hydrogen.
These efforts have led them to become champions of Europe in the adoption of electric cars.
Their president, Hildegard Müller, supports the introduction of Chinese manufacturers to Europe to ensure an effective transition to mobility.
Müller states: “The Chinese market is extremely important for the German automotive industry. That is why we are using sales in China to finance the successful transformation towards climate-neutral mobility in Germany and Europe.”
“When I look at the innovative strength of our companies, I trust in the future,” she adds later.
