Source: Kempower
The two companies have entered into a sales and service partnership agreement, which will allow KONČAR to procure, distribute, and install Kempower’s DC charging equipment for a variety of clients, including charge point operators, public transport authorities, port authorities, and municipalities.
However, this collaboration is expected to extend beyond simple distribution, evolving into a strategic partnership aimed at enhancing the DC charging markets in Central and South Eastern Europe. Their joint efforts will focus on improving charging infrastructure in Croatia, Slovenia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Serbia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina—regions that have been slower to adopt electric vehicles compared to much of Europe.
As of 2023, Slovenia and Croatia boast networks of approximately 1,500 and 900 public charging points, respectively, while the other five countries in the region only share around 300. To put this into perspective, the Netherlands leads the EU with 75,000 charging stations. Furthermore, the EV market share in these regions ranges from just 1-4%, lagging behind the EU’s average of 13.9% in 2022. This indicates a significant opportunity for improvement through enhanced charging infrastructure.
By joining forces with KONČAR, we expect to make a meaningful and lasting contribution to charging infrastructure across the region. KONČAR is renowned for its excellent standards, expertise and wide international reach, so it’s fantastic to work alongside the team to enable the EV transition. As the region looks to establish its EV charging offering, we’re proud to be deploying our Finnish expertise and experience to help to unlock initial growth.
One of the first initiatives under this partnership involves the establishment of a charging station in Croatia’s Kvarner region, featuring a total power capacity of 1200kW. This site will be part of a new service station slated for construction this year at the eastern end of the Učka Tunnel, equipped with two 600kW Kempower Power Units, and supported by KONČAR's infrastructure.
The station will include eight Kempower Satellites compatible with most EVs, as well as two Kempower Liquid Cooled Satellites designed for faster charging of heavy commercial vehicles like trucks. This setup is essential for increasing charger accessibility for private, commercial, and industrial drivers, particularly as the e-mobility sector turns its attention to electrifying heavy-duty vehicles.
E-mobility is a fast growing industry with huge potential and we are proud to be supporting this market growth in partnership with Kempower, which we see as a global leader in DC fast charging technology. By combining Kempower’s leading technology with KONČAR’s engineering excellence as part of our core offering, we can provide our clients with a full turnkey solution, from planning and procurement to installation and maintenance.
Kempower’s modular DC fast-charging solutions allow charge point operators to begin with a small setup and grow their systems by adding more charging units as demand increases. This means that a lower initial investment won’t hinder future business expansion. The anticipated flexibility and potential for scalable returns on investment are expected to significantly motivate prospective charge point operators to invest in expanding EV charging infrastructure.
Quality and reliability will play an important role in a successful EV infrastructure rollout and the high uptime, modularity and dynamic power sharing elements of the Kempower charging solutions put us in strong stead to make a significant impact. This technological prowess paired with KONČAR’s over 100 years of experience in electrical infrastructure makes for a winning combination and we look forward to seeing what we will achieve together.
As the demand for electric vehicles continues to rise, the collaboration between Kempower and KONČAR represents a vital advancement towards establishing the necessary infrastructure for a more sustainable transportation future in the region.
