The Charge Point Podcast

Summary
EV charging infrastructure has largely solved the problem it set out to solve — the chargers work, the networks exist, drivers can find a plug. But at ICNC26 in Berlin this September, the industry's largest annual gathering built its entire theme around what comes next: "Collaboration at Scale: Establishing the Open Smart Charging Ecosystem." The premise is that interoperability can no longer stop at plugs and protocols; it has to extend into smart charging, grid data, and the deeper convergence of the energy and mobility sectors.
In this special multi-guest episode, recorded live on the ICNC26 show floor at Berlin's Tempelhof Airport, Christophe sits down with four people building pieces of that open ecosystem from very different vantage points. Joakim Arvidsson, co-founder of Peak Energy, brings a sales and solution-development background from the IT and security industries to the unglamorous but critical problem of grid cost transparency. Bradford Crist, CEO and co-founder of ChargeMate, spent a decade in EV charging — including leading DC fast-charging product development at Volta — before building an AI support layer for drivers and CPOs. Oumaima Bounouadar, co-founder and CEO of OCPP Lab, brings a data science background to a problem she lived firsthand: the slow, manual, physical-hardware-dependent grind of testing charging interoperability. And Jaap Burger, an independent EV grid-integration consultant, has spent years translating between EV charging innovation and the regulatory and policy world that governs it.
Together, these four conversations trace a single throughline: the industry has moved past "does it work" and into "does it pay off, does it scale, and does it actually talk to itself" — cost, revenue, testing rigor, and regulatory collaboration, all in service of the same open ecosystem ICNC26 put at the center of its stage.
What you'll learn
Why grid connection fees and transfer costs are a genuine "jungle" — scattered manually across individual DSO websites with no standardized definitions of peak, average, or seasonal pricing, according to Joakim Arvidsson.
How the EV charging market's priorities have shifted in distinct phases: first hardware rollout speed, then reliability and user experience, and now — per Arvidsson — cost and profitability.
Why Bradford Crist believes AI-driven driver support should be judged on revenue recovery and retention, not just cost reduction, which he calls "cost of entry" rather than a real differentiator.
What ChargeMate's new partnership with Percepta (a Ford tech joint venture) adds to its AI-plus-human support model for large automotive and charging providers.
Why Oumaima Bounouadar and her co-founder built OCPP Lab's continuous interoperability testing platform after experiencing firsthand how slow and resource-intensive manual OCPP/OCPI testing was — up to 30 minutes per basic scenario, requiring a physical charger, an EV, and two specialized engineers.
Why component-level testing (unit and integration tests) isn't enough on its own — drivers experience the full charging journey end-to-end, and many real issues only surface when systems interact.
Why Jaap Burger sees a widening gap between technical maturity and regulatory conversation: charge point operators are constrained by grid capacity but rarely bring the resulting flexibility-value opportunity directly to regulators and DSOs.
Why real-world vehicle-to-grid deployments are still earlier-stage than expected two years ago, even as unidirectional smart charging has become close to a default assumption in depot and HGV charging business cases.
Notable quotes
"I think it's a hidden cost that not anyone understands. You have the utility cost, the kilowatt hours, and then you have the grid cost — the connection fee, the transfer fees. And the grid owners can define them as they want." — Joakim Arvidsson, Peak Energy
"There's a lot of people able to offer lower costs with AI tools. That's cost of entry. What we're really focused on is providing an experience that recovers revenue and retains customers." — Bradford Crist, ChargeMate
"Ultimately the driver experiences the entire charging journey, not just an isolated component — and many issues only appear when those systems start interacting." — Oumaima Bounouadar, OCPP Lab
About the guests
Joakim Arvidsson is co-founder of Peak Energy, which helps charge point operators and CPMS providers understand and control the hidden costs of grid connections — including capacity fees and peak charges that vary widely and opaquely across distribution system operators. Arvidsson brings a background in solution sales from the IT and security industries, applying that same "translate a complex technical cost into something a business can act on" approach to grid economics for the EV charging sector.
Bradford Crist is CEO and co-founder of ChargeMate, an AI-powered support platform for EV drivers and charge point operators. He spent the last decade working across the EV charging industry, including several years as a product manager at Volta Charging leading DC fast-charging, payments, and mobile app development, and earlier experience with Hubject during its US market entry. Crist founded ChargeMate after seeing firsthand how even highly "online" charging networks still generated significant friction at the point of use.
Oumaima Bounouadar is co-founder and CEO of OCPP Lab, a Paris-based (Station F) startup building a continuous interoperability testing platform for the EV charging ecosystem. With a mathematics background and five years of experience as a data scientist — including at an e-mobility operator, where she first encountered the problem she'd later build a company around — Bounouadar co-founded OCPP Lab roughly ten months ago to let companies simulate and test integrations across protocols like OCPP and OCPI without needing physical hardware for every test.
Jaap Burger is an independent consultant focused on EV grid integration — smart and bidirectional charging viewed through a combined regulatory, policy, innovation, and user-facing lens. His work centers on translating between what's happening in policy and regulation and what's happening at the leading edge of EV charging innovation, helping each side understand what's realistically possible today and in the near future.
Episode chapters
00:00 — Welcome & episode intro
02:25 — Joakim Arvidsson (Peak Energy): The grid cost jungle
08:24 — Bradford Crist (ChargeMate): AI support built for revenue, not just cost
16:29 — Oumaima Bounouadar (OCPP Lab): Testing the full charging journey
23:51 — Jaap Burger: Bridging the CPO–regulator gap
32:03 — Wrap-up & key takeaways
Runtime: ~34 minutes
Links
Joakim Arvidsson: linkedin.com/in/joakim-arvidsson-ab0135
Bradford Crist: linkedin.com/in/bradford-crist-787a5519
Oumaima Bounouadar: linkedin.com/in/oumaima-bounouadar-a31221198 | OCPP Lab: www.ocpplab.com
Jaap Burger: linkedin.com/in/jaapburger
Related listening
For more on the regulatory and DSO side of the flexibility conversation Jaap Burger raises here, check out our episodes with Julia Hildermeier, Zsuzsanna Pató, and Jan Rosenow of RAP (Regulatory Assistance Project), three separate deep dives into grid congestion, smart charging economics, and time-of-use tariff policy across Europe and the UK.
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Summary
Grid connections rarely deliver the full power a CPO has actually contracted for. Ask a distribution grid operator for enough capacity to run ten fast chargers at rated power, and the answer is almost always less than what's on paper — and reinforcing a grid connection takes years and billions of euros, while integrating a battery takes months. That mismatch in timelines is why co-located battery energy storage systems (BESS) are quickly moving from a nice-to-have to a near-default requirement for serious EV charging infrastructure.
In this episode, Christophe Lephilibert sits down with Michel Verschuere, founder and managing director of Yuso, a Belgian balance service provider (BSP) that has grown into a major flexibility player across Belgium, the Netherlands, the UK, and the Baltic states. A physicist by training who has been trading electricity since 2003, Michel built Yuso in 2012 around the idea that batteries and other flexible assets should actively participate in the energy market, not just sit idle as backup. Today Yuso manages roughly 500 megawatts of grid-scale flexibility — and an increasing share of that flexibility now sits behind EV chargers.
The conversation covers why the EV charging industry's usual playbook for flexibility revenue doesn't fully apply to charging sites, why the "duck curve" utilities have talked about for years is turning into a "canyon curve" in solar-heavy markets, and what's actually driving reliable value for charge point operators (CPOs) today. Michel also walks through a live, named example of how this works in practice: a three-way partnership between FLEXECHARGE, Yuso, and battery hardware provider Intercell, deployed on a real Q8 Electric site in Belgium - with FLEXECHARGE named as one of Yuso's own certified energy management system (EMS) partners.
What You'll Learn in This Episode
Why grid congestion, not charger hardware cost, is the real reason co-located BESS is becoming essential for CPOs, and why grid reinforcement timelines make batteries the faster path to more usable capacity
What the "duck curve" is, why growing solar penetration is turning it into a "canyon curve" in markets like California, and what that means for when a CPO's battery should charge and discharge
Why classic ancillary services like FCR and aFRR are often a poor fit for CPO sites specifically — they're contracted directly with transmission system operators (TSOs) and priced in kilowatts, the exact resource a charging site can least afford to commit away from serving drivers
Where real, reliable flexibility value exists today for charge point operators: peak shaving against grid connection limits, day-ahead price optimization, and capturing swings in the imbalance market (Belgium has recorded imbalance prices as extreme as -15,000 EUR/MWh)
Why "full-stack" flexibility revenue pitches are, in Michel's words, usually "over-promised and under-delivered"
How a real three-way partner stack actually operates on a live site: FLEXECHARGE as the energy management system, Yuso as the balance service provider reading the market, and Intercell supplying the battery hardware
What Michel recommends any CPO check first before trying to monetize a battery: whether it can realistically close the site's kilowatt gap, correct sizing, and choosing the right combination of partners
Notable Quotes
"Three-letter abbreviations do not lower an invoice. The actual EUR delta does." 
"We have our own internal certification scheme, and this is why FLEXeCHARGE is one of the certified partners on our website." — Michel Verschuere
About the Guest
Michel Verschuere is the founder and managing director of Yuso, a Belgian balance service provider and energy flexibility company he launched in 2012. A physicist by background, Michel has been active in European electricity trading since 2003. Yuso today manages approximately 500 megawatts of grid-scale flexibility across Belgium, the Netherlands, the UK, and the Baltic states.
Connect with Michel: linkedin.com/in/michel-verschuere-28abb56
Learn more about Yuso: yuso.com/nl
Related listening: for more on CPOs integrating battery storage at scale, check out our earlier conversation with Q8 Electric and Intercell on deploying co-located BESS across Benelux fast-charging sites.
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Get in Touch:
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How do you transform a major fuel-retail network into a scalable EV charging business? 
Marvin Bechtel from ORLEN shares how the company is expanding its EV charging network while navigating site selection, grid constraints, technical complexity and changing customer expectations. The conversation explores what it takes to move from individual charging sites to a standardised, reliable and customer-centric network - and why charging speed alone will not differentiate tomorrow’s leading Charge Point Operators. 
Episode summary 
ORLEN operates approximately 3,500 service stations across seven European countries, including around 600 in Germany. Its ambition is to evolve from a traditional fuel retailer into an integrated energy and mobility provider, with EV charging as a central pillar of that transformation. 
Marvin explains how ORLEN approaches charging locations across Germany and Eastern Europe, from existing service stations and retail destinations to dedicated high-power charging hubs. He also shares why selecting the right location remains one of the most important factors in building a commercially successful charging network. 
As the rollout grows, the challenges change. Managing a handful of chargers is very different from operating hundreds of charging points across multiple locations, technical environments and grid operators. Standardisation therefore becomes critical- helping teams accelerate deployment, simplify commissioning and reduce operational complexity. 
The discussion also looks ahead to battery energy storage systems, solar integration, dynamic pricing and smarter energy management. As charging speeds become increasingly similar across networks, Marvin believes convenience, reliability, transparent pricing and the overall customer experience will become much stronger differentiators. 
What you will learn 
How ORLEN is transforming from a fuel retailer into an integrated energy and mobility provider 
What EV charging means for the future of traditional service stations 
Why prime locations remain essential to charging-network utilisation and profitability 
How EV adoption and grid readiness differ across Germany and Eastern Europe 
What changes when a CPO moves from individual projects to a large charging network 
Why site selection should not be driven solely by the easiest grid connection 
How grid limitations and physical space affect charging-site development 
Why standardisation can accelerate rollout and reduce operational complexity 
How failed commissioning can delay an entire charging site 
How FLEXBOX and the HARMON-E platform support a repeatable operational approach 
Where battery storage, solar power, load management and dynamic pricing could add value 
Why charging speed alone will become less of a competitive differentiator 
What may separate successful Charge Point Operators from the rest over the next three to five years 
About the guest 
Marvin Bechtel is responsible for ORLEN’s e-mobility business in the German market. After joining ORLEN in 2017, he worked in communications and public relations before moving into business development, where he helped develop the company’s mobile payment application for fuel and car-wash services. 
In 2023, Marvin took on responsibility for building and scaling ORLEN’s EV charging activities in Germany. His work covers charging-network strategy, site development, operational excellence and the creation of a consistent customer experience across ORLEN Charge locations. 
Connect with Marvin Bechtel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marvin-bechtel/ 
Key topics 
EV charging infrastructure · CPO strategy · charging-network scalability · ORLEN Charge · service-station transformation · charging-site selection · grid capacity · DNO requirements · charging-hub operations · commissioning · standardisation · FLEXBOX · HARMON-E · load management · battery energy storage systems · dynamic EV charging prices · customer experience · Germany · Eastern Europe 
Resources 
Check out the intro webinar about the FLEXBOX here
Support the Charge Point Podcast 
If you found this conversation valuable, share the episode with a colleague or someone working in EV charging and e-mobility. 
Please also follow the Charge Point Podcast, leave a review and give the show a five-star rating. Your support helps more people discover the podcast and join the conversation about the future of EV charging.
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You can get more information on our website.

Give us some stars please
🌟 If you enjoyed the episode, please give it a 5-stars note and leave us a review.

Get in Touch:
Do you have suggestions for future guests or topics? Reach out to us at hello@flexecharge.com. 
Subscribe & Stay Updated:
🔔 Make sure to subscribe to the Charge Point Podcast to stay updated on the latest trends and developments in the world of EV charging and energy.
📩 You can subscribe to our Newsletter, The Charge Point Journal, by clicking here.
🫱🏻‍🫲🏼 And you can follow us on Linkedin by clicking here and connect with Christophe here.
⚡ Let’s keep the conversation—and the electrons—flowing.

Cheap batteries are starting to reshape the economics of EV charging infrastructure.
In this episode of the Charge Point Podcast, Christophe Lephilibert speaks with Ryan Fisher, Head of Charging Infrastructure at BloombergNEF, about why co-located Battery Energy Storage Systems — or BESS — are becoming increasingly relevant for fast-charging sites, truck charging, megawatt charging and grid-constrained locations.
The conversation builds on BloombergNEF’s report, How Cheap Batteries Are Helping EV Charging Scale, to which FLEXECHARGE contributed data. Ryan explains why battery storage is moving from a niche pilot topic to a serious infrastructure tool for Charge Point Operators, especially as battery costs fall, grid fees rise, and charging sites need to deliver more power.
Together, Christophe and Ryan discuss peak-demand charges, grid connection constraints, energy arbitrage, subsidies, truck charging, BYD’s battery-backed megawatt charging rollout, and the implications of BloombergNEF’s 2026 Electric Vehicle Outlook.
The key message: co-located BESS will not make sense for every charging site tomorrow — but every serious CPO should now understand where batteries fit into their rollout strategy.
Guest
Ryan Fisher
Head of Charging Infrastructure, BloombergNEF
Ryan Fisher leads BloombergNEF’s charging infrastructure research. His work connects the electrification of transport with the wider energy system, covering charging infrastructure, battery storage, power markets, grid constraints and the future of EV adoption.
In this episode, Ryan brings a global BloombergNEF perspective on how cheap batteries, grid fees and higher charging powers are changing the fast-charging business case.
What you will learn
In this episode, you will learn:
Why battery storage is becoming more relevant for EV fast-charging infrastructure
How cheaper batteries can help CPOs deal with grid connection constraints
Why peak-demand charges and grid fees are becoming critical to the charging business case
How co-located BESS can help unlock sites that were previously too expensive or too difficult to build
Why truck charging and megawatt charging may accelerate battery deployment
How China, Europe and the US differ in battery costs, subsidies and tariff structures
Why ancillary services and flexibility markets are promising, but still early for most CPOs
What BloombergNEF’s 2026 EV Outlook says about EV growth, electricity demand and future charging needs
Why future charging networks may need to think more like distributed energy asset operators
Key topics covered
Why this report, and why now?
Ryan explains why BloombergNEF decided to investigate the role of batteries in EV charging infrastructure. Overcapacity in the battery market has pushed storage costs down, while CPOs are facing more questions around grid access, grid fees and whether charging infrastructure can scale fast enough.
BloombergNEF tracked around 800 projects where batteries are already being used with EV charging infrastructure — a striking sign that co-located BESS is no longer only an experimental topic.
The bottleneck is shifting from chargers to energy
For years, fast charging was mainly discussed in terms of charger deployment, location, utilization and uptime. Today, the bottleneck is increasingly about energy: available grid capacity, power availability, grid fees and the ability to deliver higher charging speeds.
This becomes even more important as EVs become capable of higher charging power and as commercial vehicles bring much larger loads to charging sites.
The business case for co-located BESS
Ryan breaks down where the value of BESS can come from:
avoiding or delaying grid upgrades
reducing peak-demand charges
enabling higher charging power on constrained grid connections
shifting electricity consumption to cheaper hours
supporting truck charging and large fleet operations
preparing for future flexibility and ancillary service revenues
But the business case is highly market-specific. Tariff structures, electricity prices, utilization, subsidies and grid constraints all determine whether BESS makes financial sense.
Peak-demand charges and grid fees
One of the most important insights from the episode is that grid fees vary significantly by country, region and tariff structure. Some markets have peak-demand charges, some have time-of-use grid fees, and some have both.
Ryan explains that in certain markets, peak-demand charges are being reduced or temporarily removed to support charging infrastructure rollout. But the long-term challenge remains: how do you scale charging infrastructure without creating unsustainable grid costs?
Truck charging and megawatt charging
Truck charging is one of the strongest use cases for co-located BESS because the energy demand is much larger than passenger-car charging. A single truck can have a battery of several hundred kilowatt-hours, and high-power charging for fleets can quickly create major grid requirements.
The discussion also touches on BYD’s battery-backed megawatt charging rollout in China, which could significantly influence the global average size and architecture of battery-supported charging sites.
Can cheap batteries change where charging sites are built?
Ryan’s answer is clear: yes.
If battery costs continue to fall — or if operators can access grants and subsidies — BESS can make new types of charging locations viable. This is particularly relevant for existing fuel retail sites, depots, and high-traffic locations where the commercial case is strong but the grid connection is weak.
With batteries, a site that previously lacked sufficient grid power may still be able to offer high-power charging.
BloombergNEF’s 2026 EV Outlook
The conversation also connects BESS with the broader findings from BloombergNEF’s 2026 Electric Vehicle Outlook.
Ryan highlights growth in Europe, developments in Southeast Asia, progress in heavy-duty trucking, and emerging questions around robotaxis. The outlook also looks at electricity demand from EVs and the grid investment needed to support transport electrification.
One important point: EVs will become a meaningful driver of grid investment, but they are only one part of a wider picture that also includes aging grids, data centers, general electricity demand growth and electrification in other sectors.
The future charging business case
Ryan explains that the future competitive landscape for CPOs will not only be about who has the best location or the most chargers.
It will also be about:
who can deliver higher charging powers
who can manage electricity costs
who can optimize grid capacity
who can integrate batteries effectively
who can combine charging with retail, amenities or other site-level business models
A good charging site today could be overtaken tomorrow by a better-located, better-optimized, higher-power and more energy-efficient competitor.
Key takeaway
Co-located BESS is not a universal solution for every charging site.
But cheap batteries, grid constraints, higher charging power and the rise of truck charging are changing the EV charging business case. For many CPOs, batteries will become a strategic tool to reduce costs, unlock constrained sites, improve charging performance and prepare for future flexibility markets.
The smartest operators will not wait until every business case is obvious. They will start understanding where BESS fits, which sites are suitable, and how to build the technical stack needed to scale when the economics become attractive.
Listen to the full episode
Listen to the full conversation with Ryan Fisher from BloombergNEF to understand how cheap batteries are changing EV charging infrastructure — and what this means for CPOs, fleet operators, truck charging, grid constraints and the future of fast charging.
If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a colleague working in EV charging, batteries, fleet electrification or energy infrastructure.
You can also support the Charge Point Podcast by leaving a review and giving us a five-star rating on your preferred podcast platform.
Resources mentioned
BloombergNEF report: How Cheap Batteries Are Helping EV Charging Scale
BloombergNEF Electric Vehicle Outlook 2026:
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Give us some stars please
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Get in Touch:
Do you have suggestions for future guests or topics? Reach out to us at hello@flexecharge.com. 
Subscribe & Stay Updated:
🔔 Make sure to subscribe to the Charge Point Podcast to stay updated on the latest trends and developments in the world of EV charging and energy.
📩 You can subscribe to our Newsletter, The Charge Point Journal, by clicking here.
🫱🏻‍🫲🏼 And you can follow us on Linkedin by clicking here and connect with Christophe here.
⚡ Let’s keep the conversation—and the electrons—flowing.

Recorded live on the showfloor at Power2Drive Europe 2026 in Munich, this special episode of The Charge Point Podcast captures the technologies, business models, and conversations shaping the next phase of EV charging.
Across seven short interviews with experts from Polarium, ADS-TEC Energy, Sungrow, FLEXECHARGE, KEBA, and Lumina, one message comes through clearly: EV charging is moving beyond rapid infrastructure rollout. The next phase is about smarter operations, better use of constrained grid connections, battery-backed business models, depot and truck charging, energy market integration, and more intelligent software.
From distributed battery storage and battery-buffered charging to FLEXBOX, C&I storage, cable theft prevention, local energy management, VPPs, AI agents, and ecosystem collaboration, this episode offers a snapshot of where the EV charging industry is heading next.
Episode summary
Power2Drive 2026 showed an industry entering a more mature phase.
For years, the central question was how fast charging networks could be deployed. Today, the conversation is shifting. CPOs, hardware providers, battery companies, EMS platforms, and software players are increasingly focused on profitability, resilience, operational intelligence, and making the most of the grid connections already available.
In this showfloor episode, Christophe speaks with seven guests to understand what stood out at Power2Drive 2026. The conversations highlight three major themes: grid constraints as a defining design challenge, battery energy storage as a strategic commercial asset, and the growing convergence between EV charging, solar, storage, grid services, software, and AI.
The result is a practical, on-the-ground view of the next charging playbook: optimise sites, orchestrate assets, unlock new value streams, and collaborate across the energy ecosystem.
What you will learn
Why grid constraints are now shaping how charging sites are designed, deployed, and operated.
How battery energy storage can help CPOs avoid or delay grid upgrades, increase charging capacity, reduce peak demand costs, and unlock additional revenue streams.
Why BESS is moving from a “nice to have” to a strategic lever for site profitability, especially in depot and truck charging.
How battery-buffered charging can help operators deploy high-power charging on limited grid connections.
Why C&I storage, PV integration, and energy market participation are becoming increasingly relevant for EV charging operators.
How local energy management can coordinate chargers, batteries, solar PV, and grid constraints in real time.
Why depot and truck charging were among the hot topics at Power2Drive 2026.
How charger reliability, service, and cable theft prevention are becoming critical issues for logistics and public charging operators.
Why AI is moving from a broad buzzword to practical agents that can help operations teams manage EV chargers and energy assets.
Why the future of EV charging will depend on stronger collaboration between hardware, software, batteries, solar, grid services, and energy management providers.
Guests featured in this episode
Håkan Tezcanli, Polarium
Håkan shares the battery and distributed energy storage perspective. He explains why batteries have become central to solving grid and energy challenges, how distributed BESS can support EV charging, and how aggregated battery sites can contribute to VPP models and new revenue opportunities.
Sascha Koenig, ADS-TEC Energy
Sascha discusses battery-buffered charging and how it can help operators deploy on low-voltage or constrained grid connections. He also explains why truck and depot charging are becoming major growth areas, and why batteries are increasingly essential when the power and energy requirements of fleets increase.
Miguel Lojan Jaramillo, Sungrow
Miguel brings the C&I storage and solar perspective. He talks about weak grid connections, electricity prices, peak charges, PV integration, PowerStack, technical support, after-sales service, and the growing role of ecosystem partnerships when customers want to connect EV chargers, PV, ESS, and energy market opportunities.
Kasper Daugaard, FLEXECHARGE
Kasper reflects on the shift from charger deployment and land-grabbing to energy optimisation and site profitability. He introduces FLEXBOX as a local energy controller that balances chargers, batteries, solar, and the grid in real time, while helping operators maximise charging capacity without exceeding grid limits.
Torsten Freytag, KEBA
Torsten takes the conversation into transport and logistics. He explains why reliability and service are critical for depot charging, why partner ecosystems matter in early-stage depot electrification, and how KEBA is approaching AI-supported cable theft prevention. He also discusses high-power DC charging and liquid-cooled cables for trucks.
Mikkel Weikop & Andreas Sønderbo Patscheider, Lumina
Mikkel and Andreas discuss how the AI conversation is moving from general hype to practical agents. They explain how operations teams could build and deploy AI agents to operate EV chargers and energy assets, and why e-mobility, solar, storage, software, and adjacent energy sectors are becoming increasingly intertwined.
Key themes from Power2Drive 2026
1. Grid constraints are becoming the central design challenge
Charging operators are no longer only asking how many chargers they can deploy. They are asking how to maximise the value of the grid connection they already have. This changes everything: site design, hardware choices, energy management, battery strategy, and long-term business models.
2. Batteries are becoming commercial assets, not just technical fixes
BESS can help solve grid constraints, but the bigger story is value stacking. Batteries can support charging capacity, peak shaving, load shifting, PV optimisation, arbitrage, flexibility services, and VPP participation. For CPOs, the battery is increasingly becoming part of the business model.
3. The industry is becoming one connected operating system
EV charging, solar, batteries, grid services, local controllers, EMS platforms, AI, and depot operations can no longer be treated as separate industries. The most interesting solutions are emerging at the intersections — and that makes partnerships more important than ever.
Key takeaway
Power2Drive 2026 revealed an industry moving from rollout to optimisation.
The next winners in EV charging will not only be the companies that build fast. They will be the ones that operate smart: making better use of constrained grid connections, integrating batteries and flexibility markets, coordinating assets in real time, improving operational resilience, and building stronger partnerships across the energy ecosystem.
Listen to this episode if you are interested in
EV charging, CPO strategy, Power2Drive, grid constraints, battery energy storage, BESS value stacking, depot charging, truck charging, public fast charging, local energy management, flexibility markets, VPPs, C&I storage, PV integration, cable theft prevention, AI agents, energy orchestration, and the future of profitable EV charging operations.
Got some feedback or questions? Text us!
You can get more information on our website.

Give us some stars please
🌟 If you enjoyed the episode, please give it a 5-stars note and leave us a review.

Get in Touch:
Do you have suggestions for future guests or topics? Reach out to us at hello@flexecharge.com. 
Subscribe & Stay Updated:
🔔 Make sure to subscribe to the Charge Point Podcast to stay updated on the latest trends and developments in the world of EV charging and energy.
📩 You can subscribe to our Newsletter, The Charge Point Journal, by clicking here.
🫱🏻‍🫲🏼 And you can follow us on Linkedin by clicking here and connect with Christophe here.
⚡ Let’s keep the conversation—and the electrons—flowing.