Dr. Andreas Pfeiffer
- Aug 9
- 3 min read

"Scale it up" in emobility

Report on the webinar on scaling & automation in emobility in collaboration with Mediaan and IONITY (July 2024)

On July 2, 2024, our webinar on "Scaling and automation in electromobility" took place. In the event, which was held online, Holger Riemenschneider, Thomas Stragand and Dr. Andreas Pfeiffer spoke as experienced experts in the industry and offered valuable insights into the current challenges and opportunities of digitalization in the field of emobility.

... to the presentations .... to the video

Introduction and market trends

Dr. Andreas Pfeiffer, Managing Director of greenventors GmbH, opened the webinar with a comprehensive introduction and moderated the event. He highlighted the importance of an efficient IT strategy and emphasized the unique challenges faced by operators of fast charging networks. In particular, the integration and scaling of IT systems play a crucial role in this fast-growing market.

Strategic IT planning and migration

Thomas Stragand, Senior Consultant at Mediaan Conclusion, shed light on strategic IT planning and the associated make-or-buy decisions. He pointed out that many companies use outdated IT platforms that are not scalable and require manual processes. A clear strategy for migrating and integrating new IT systems is essential to increase efficiency and remain competitive. Thomas recommended taking stock of the current IT structure and using agile methods to quickly adapt and implement new technologies.

Technology and backend systems at IONITY

Holger Riemenschneider, Director Technology at IONITY, provided insights into the technology selection and operation of the largest fast-charging network in Europe. IONITY has successfully implemented its own backend system to maintain control over core processes and support company growth. Holger explained that billing in 24 countries, taking local regulations into account and implementing dynamic pricing models are among the biggest challenges. Through automation and AI-supported systems, IONITY was able to optimize maintenance processes and significantly increase efficiency.

Panel discussion and Q&A

The panel discussion, moderated by Dr. Andreas Pfeiffer, provided a platform for an intensive exchange between the speakers and the participants. Here are some of the questions and answers discussed:

How does strategic IT planning help companies in electromobility to remain competitive?

Thomas: "Well-thought-out IT planning enables companies to respond flexibly to market changes while optimizing efficiency and cost structure."

What role does automation play in improving the user experience at charging stations?

Holger: "Automation helps us to offer fast and reliable services by optimizing operations and minimizing downtime."

How important is cooperation between technology providers and charging network operators for success in electromobility?

Holger: "Extremely important, as close cooperation ensures that the technologies are optimally tailored to the needs of the operators."

How does IONITY implement dynamic pricing models? Is this already linked to energy purchasing?

Holger: "We are working on implementing dynamic pricing to be able to react flexibly to market conditions. However, the market is currently not fully prepared for this."

What challenges does the implementation of credit card payments at charging stations bring with it?

Holger: "It increases complexity, but also offers security for the customer, as they always have a way to pay, even if other methods fail."

The webinar was a great success and clearly showed how important the topics of scaling and automation are for the electromobility industry, especially in the current market phase. We thank all participants and speakers for their valuable contributions and look forward to further exciting discussions and developments in this dynamic sector.

We will make the video of the event available shortly. Thank you to all participants and speakers for your interest and commitment to electromobility.

Here are the slides shown: