Technicians Wolfgang Berger and Nikolaus Mayerhofer had been each within the automotive business after they determined to develop an unbiased battery check for so-called traction batteries in electrical automobiles. It began within the evenings and on weekends and finally grew right into a storage enterprise, just because plenty of analysis work needed to be executed on the automobile. When the forty-somethings acquired their first grant, they left their jobs behind and had a marketable answer after simply three years.

Right here is CEO Dr. Wolfgang Berger in an interview with Innovation Origins:

Might you briefly clarify the issue your battery check solves?

Batteries utilized in electrical automobiles put on out over time. That’s, they lose their capacity to retailer vitality. That’s particularly necessary whenever you’re attempting to promote an electric-powered used automobile. The battery is by far probably the most worthwhile part of an electrical automobile, so it’s best to have a transparent image of its well being. A alternative battery can simply value €10-€20,000. In order a purchaser of a used electrical automobile, it’s best to be sure that the battery has been checked in a licensed course of. In spite of everything, the capability of the battery determines the vary of the automobile.

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Might you describe the answer?

The battery check principally consists of {hardware} electronics that we have now developed. It’s a field that connects to the so-called OBD (on-board diagnostic) interface of the automobile, the place it data battery information and transmits it to our Battery Information Cloud platform. This may be as much as a million information factors per hour for every check carried out. We then consider this information utilizing algorithms developed in-house that decide the battery’s state of well being. Lastly, the shopper receives the check report within the type of an official certificates from the German Technical Inspection Company (TÜV).

However the precise product we promote shouldn’t be {hardware} or software program, however a battery check or battery certificates.

What’s your motivation?

With our manufacturer-independent battery check, we wish to contribute to a functioning, thriving used automobile market. That is necessary as a result of this market is required in order that electromobility also can set up itself within the new automobile sector. Provided that used electrical automobiles promote effectively and at good costs will new electrical automobiles even be purchased in massive numbers.

What makes your innovation higher than or completely different from current market choices?

That is the primary product that gives a manufacturer-independent battery well being verify – a battery check that’s impartial, comparable throughout producers – and already licensed by the German Technical Inspection Company (TÜV). There may be nothing else prefer it in the marketplace.

What challenges are you at present dealing with?

After three years of growth, we at the moment are within the go-to-market part and are launching our product in a number of European international locations with well-known companions. In Austria, we’re working with ÖAMTC (the Austrian Car, Motorbike and Touring Membership), amongst others, and shortly we can announce our companions in Germany, Norway and the Netherlands.

What’s your location like?

Our firm location is right. We’re housed in a former automobile dealership and may drive the automobiles subsequent to the desks. At our location in Austria, we’re experiencing a scarcity of expert employees, which is especially pronounced within the areas of software program growth and electronics.

What was the most important impediment you needed to overcome?

Our greatest obstacles have all the time been in the case of acquiring extra funding. However looking back, we had been very profitable in a brief time frame. All of the well-known Austrian and European funding establishments supported us. We had been additionally one in all two Austrian firms to obtain monetary help within the quantity of €2.3 million from the EU Fee as a part of the Inexperienced Deal.

What have been your finest moments to this point?

The market launch of our product in 2021, the profit that clients see in our battery check, and the boldness we create within the buy of electrical vehicles…these are the issues that encourage us.

What are your subsequent objectives?

We plan to introduce extra merchandise tailor-made to particular issues. At present, we’re creating a battery check for leased automobiles which have been returned, for instance. One other focus is on a check system for the overall inspection or PTI (Periodical Technical Inspection). If this periodic inspection required by legislation additionally contains the battery, then we wish to have an acceptable product obtainable for this as effectively.

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