David Martell, founder and former CEO of Chargemaster, has launched a new EV charge point company focused on providing hassle-free and affordable EV charging to homes and workplaces. 

David Martell, founder and former CEO of Chargemaster

Dubbed EVIOS, the British-based company launches first with a home charger said to be the smartest and most intuitive on the market and with workplace charging solutions to follow.  

Speaking to Fleet World, Martell said many of the existing mass-market solutions are too complex and don’t take advantage of things such as low night-time tariffs and solar panels fitted on homes and businesses.  

The new EVIOS One charger changes this. Launched this week at the Gherkin in London, it features a jargon-free user interface, the largest colour screen of any home charger, and a smartphone app that allows users to prioritise charges based on cost, sustainability or speed. Users can also easily see exactly how many miles have been added in each charging session, and the cost.  

The EVIOS One can also integrate with home energy tariffs to charge during off-peak times, significantly reducing running costs, while the ‘Pure Green’ setting interacts with solar or wind power sources attached to the home to deliver zero-emissions charges.  

Access to the EVIOS One is protected via PIN to prevent unauthorised use and it can store up to eight separate user profiles – both said to be firsts for this type of unit and making it an ideal option for shared residential or business parking areas, or homes with more than one EV. This also enables the unit’s use on community charging schemes, supported by the solution’s detailed reporting on energy use and expenditure. Business drivers can easily use the summaries for expense claims based on individual users or individual vehicles. 

The installation process has also been simplified with access to the company’s own team of qualified installers around the UK, and the EVIOS One can be paid for via interest-free monthly instalments or an all-inclusive package that incorporates the cost of installation. 

The new company is the brainchild of David Martell, who founded Chargemaster in 2008, which went on to become the UK’s largest EV charging network and was acquired by BP in 2018.  

“For EVs to be adopted by millions more UK motorists, they should be at least as easy to own and run as ICE vehicles,” Martell said. “Much attention is given to developing the quality and quantity of public charge points, but the majority of charging will need to take place at homes.  

“We evaluated all of the existing home chargers on the market and saw that too often they are hard to understand and control, and we believe this will put many off the idea of buying an EV in the first place. From the outset we have sought to provide a unique combination of intuitive functionality and low running costs, helping to make EV ownership more hassle-free,” he added. 

The company is also bringing out an EVIOS Two charger later this year for workplaces. Offering 7-22kW, it will be based on the EVIOS One and with the same premise of making charging simple but with increased functionality, including a larger number of users per charger. More details will be revealed closer to its launch.

The company is also in talks with carmakers and leasing companies about integrated services and solutions through partnerships.

The EVIOS One is manufactured at the company’s new premises in Bedfordshire and can be reserved now ahead of installations starting around the end of May/start of June. Prices start from £1,195 including installation or £33 a month for three years.