has·to·be GmbH, an Austrian leading provider in e-mobility, announced its cooperation with the world leading automaker Volkswagen Group, both companies reported. According to the Group’s press release, the cooperation follows the acquisition of a quarter of the shares of has·to·be made by Volkswagen Group subsidiary Elli; and the cooperation will be in the field of charging solution. The Group’s plan is to make charging of electric cars as natural and simple as charging a smart phone.
Even though the official cooperation comes now, Volkswagen is already using the has·to·be software at some of its charging stations. Both companies are part of IONITY, Europe’s largest fast charging network, a joint venture of the BMW Group, Daimler AG, Ford Motor Company and the Volkswagen Group with Audi and Porsche.
As of now, both companies will work closely on expansion of the pan-European charging network laying the foundation for a seamless customer experience during charging. This cooperation, as stated by Thorsten Nicklass, CEO of Elli, “is a further consistent step in our strategy for the intelligent networking of charging and energy”.
“Simple and convenient charging is essential for the rapid breakthrough of e-mobility. We not only need more charging stations; they must also be networked and function in an intelligent way. Charging an electric car must be just as commonplace as charging a smart phone,” says Thomas Ulbrich, Member of the Board of Management of the Volkswagen brand responsible for E-Mobility.
“Together with has·to·be, we want to open up and develop the rapidly growing business area of charging infrastructure. We will also be using has·to·be software ourselves. Throughout the Group, we will be installing about 36,000 charging points throughout Europe up to 2025. In future, charging will therefore be quicker and more convenient.”
The cooperation with Volkswagen for has·to·be is key element for shaping the future of e-mobility.
“Cooperation with the Volkswagen Group, which is committed more strongly to this technology than any other automaker, will be a key element in shaping the future of e-mobility. With Volkswagen on board, we will forge ahead with e-mobility in Europe and beyond”, says has·to·be founder Martin Klässner.
Founded in 2013 in Salzburg Austria, has·to·be is a leading provider of holistic solutions for e-mobility. has·to·be products and services offer everything companies need for success in e-mobility from the trouble-free operation of electric charging stations to the management of worldwide mobility services.
To date, the company has over 70 employees from 10 nations and manages more than 16,000 charging points, not only in Europe but also throughout the world – from Norway to Australia and from the UK to Taiwan.
