Electric vehicles have been around since the 1830s, long before gas-powered cars were invented, but still, their popularity is nothing in comparison to gas. Due to some limitations of electric cars, they have yet to make a notable dent in the automobile market. Yet recent projections create a more promising story of electric vehicles. Currently, a mere 3% of car sales worldwide are attributed to EVs, but this number is estimated to grow 58% by 2040.
You may be wondering, why make the shift from gas to electric? As they say, “don’t fix what isn’t broken,” but gas cars have become a major environmental aggressor. In that light, you would expect a bigger surge toward EVs, but certain impediments have kept them from exponentially growing in popularity.
One of the main frustrations accompanying EVs is charging stations. With gas stations situated every few miles fashioned with six or more pumps, it makes the argument harder to sell. Not only are charging stations limited, but there’s also no guarantee they will be available for use upon arrival given that you can only charge one vehicle at a time. To combat this, an innovative individual has taken big strides to offer an ingenious solution.
“We are the only company doing what we do in the U.S.,” says Dwi Sutandar, CEO of AeonCharge. “We improve the EV charging experience for end users by making EV charging more accessible through their preferred interface, whether it is a parking app or a built-in navigation system in their vehicle.”
Dwi Sutandar is an expert in the nanotechnology space with notable publications in prestigious academic journals, expert opinions on several public panels, and a second-time founder who patented and sold a semiconductor nanotechnology company with the help of his team. Sutandar previously served as the Technical Director at Solar Chapter, an international non-profit extension of the World Bank, responsible for managing engineers across four continents.
He currently holds the position as a Forbes Technology Council member and provides expert opinion in the US tech space and is also a part of Y Combinator. This American tech startup program has successfully produced over 100 unicorn startups such as Airbnb, Stripe, Reddit, Dropbox, Coinbase, and many others.
His most recent venture operating an EV charging company, AeonCharge, is creating big waves. The system enhances the EV charging experience for end users by making EV charging more available through their chosen interface. It allows users to discover, charge, and pay for charging stations across providers in the US. They are a future-proof corporation with innovative technologies such as bi-directional technology, Plug and Charge, and V2X.
The added convenience provided by AeonCharge makes owning an EV that much more enticing. Partnered with some of the biggest car brands in the US, AeonCharge has already made a positive impact on the US EV market.
“We help charging network operators, regarding their brands, get more exposure to EV drivers,” Sutandar discusses. AeonCharge provides its technology to car manufacturers, GPS services, or other businesses to integrate with its established technology.
“According to data from the University of California Davis, two out of 10 EV drivers actually abandon their EVs and go back to gasoline vehicles, and the frustration with public EV charging definitely contributes to this statistic,” Sutandar explains. This negative experience drivers face impacts the growth and success of electric vehicle sales. Without a fully faceted solution to bridge the gap, car manufacturers and related businesses will feel the ripple effect as a result of the lack of a customer base.
“We talked to a lot of different EV drivers and found that about 80% of EV drivers out there use more than 6 different mobile apps to find public charging stations in the US,” Sutandar continues, which is where AeonCharge comes in to combat this user error.
The impact of Sutandar’s technology is twofold: AeonCharge alleviates a main frustration that causes people to ditch electric cars which in turn will keep EV adoption going up, helping the environment and EV companies to retain customers. The system allows users to locate, activate, and pay for charging sessions all in one place. The easy-to-use system removes the hassle of doing all the above tasks on multiple accounts.
Owning an electric vehicle just got better. Not only are you saving money on gas, but also reducing your carbon footprint. I’d call that a win-win in my books.
It’s not every day that a tech company stands behind an initiative for the environment acting as a force for good. We’re all well aware of the state of the global warming crisis, and every contribution to the cause is a step in the right direction.
The socially-conscious, mission-driven start-up, AeonCharge, has set out to explore the possibilities of new technologies to help further advance the charging capabilities of EV drivers.
“We stand out in our industry because we promote neutrality, improve the EV charging experience for end users (EV drivers), and are high-tech,” Sutandar emphasizes.
Changing the US economy for the better, Dwi Sutandar is a force to be reckoned with. Whether you own an electric vehicle or are looking to scale up your car manufacturing business, AeonCharge can benefit you. Follow AeonCharge on LinkedIn and join the hub now.