ME Energy - Electrifying visions with a future
ME Energy, a start-up based in Wildau, has developed a fast charging station for e-vehicles that is globally unique. Independent of the power grid and place of use, it generates climate neutral electricity and improves the country’s charging infrastructure. This visionary technology from the Dahme Spreewald district is now set to go into series production.
Originally, Alexander Sohl and Inès Adler were geared to drive the future of electric mobility in Stuttgart where they both worked as engineers for traditional automotive companies. They had planned a range extender for electric cars. But nothing came of their plans as the costs per vehicle would have been too high. This led these two power visionaries to come up with another idea, which materialised as a start-up in Wildau in 2018. Winning business awards soon after, what was once an idea is now set to go into series production throughout Germany in mid-2021.
Fresh air for Brandenburg
With their company ME Energy, Sohl and Adler are determined to accelerate electric mobility in Germany by making it sustainable, mobile and affordable for end customers. This is to be achieved with a fast-charging station for electric vehicles, which converts pure biofuels, such as methanol, into electrical energy without pollutants, generating electricity about a third cheaper than from the power grid. What’s unique here is that the charging station does not have to be connected to the grid and is therefore independent. Electricity is produced directly in the charging station. The technical development of a prototype of the charging station was supported by a grant from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
Cutting costs and pollutants
The market for electric vehicles is growing. In Brandenburg, for instance, around 50 percent more electric vehicles were registered in 2020 than in the previous year. But only 15 percent of all charging stations in Germany are fast charging stations, which are more expensive and difficult to install than ordinary charging stations. That’s because energy suppliers must first lay suitable cables underground for fast charging stations and make transformer stations efficient. This is the only way to ensure the flow of high charging power into the batteries of e-vehicles. All of these planning and development costs are not an issue for the fast charging stations from ME Energy.
The station is mobile and, according to Mr Sohl, can be set up and used “almost anywhere in the world”. Potential customers include companies with vehicle fleets, transport service providers, petrol stations and supermarkets where e-cars can be quickly charged in their parking lots. For customers like these, ME Energy has pre-produced two pilot stations, which are expected to enrich the e-mobility market beginning January 2021.
For further information, visit meenergy.earth
Originally, Alexander Sohl and Inès Adler were geared to drive the future of electric mobility in Stuttgart where they both worked as engineers for traditional automotive companies. They had planned a range extender for electric cars. But nothing came of their plans as the costs per vehicle would have been too high. This led these two power visionaries to come up with another idea, which materialised as a start-up in Wildau in 2018. Winning business awards soon after, what was once an idea is now set to go into series production throughout Germany in mid-2021.
Fresh air for Brandenburg
With their company ME Energy, Sohl and Adler are determined to accelerate electric mobility in Germany by making it sustainable, mobile and affordable for end customers. This is to be achieved with a fast-charging station for electric vehicles, which converts pure biofuels, such as methanol, into electrical energy without pollutants, generating electricity about a third cheaper than from the power grid. What’s unique here is that the charging station does not have to be connected to the grid and is therefore independent. Electricity is produced directly in the charging station. The technical development of a prototype of the charging station was supported by a grant from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
Cutting costs and pollutants
The market for electric vehicles is growing. In Brandenburg, for instance, around 50 percent more electric vehicles were registered in 2020 than in the previous year. But only 15 percent of all charging stations in Germany are fast charging stations, which are more expensive and difficult to install than ordinary charging stations. That’s because energy suppliers must first lay suitable cables underground for fast charging stations and make transformer stations efficient. This is the only way to ensure the flow of high charging power into the batteries of e-vehicles. All of these planning and development costs are not an issue for the fast charging stations from ME Energy.
The station is mobile and, according to Mr Sohl, can be set up and used “almost anywhere in the world”. Potential customers include companies with vehicle fleets, transport service providers, petrol stations and supermarkets where e-cars can be quickly charged in their parking lots. For customers like these, ME Energy has pre-produced two pilot stations, which are expected to enrich the e-mobility market beginning January 2021.
For further information, visit meenergy.earth