Insights

The curtains closed on another Intercharge Network Conference in Berlin last week, my legs are still recovering from the ground covered and my voice a little coarse. Nonetheless, as always, I reflect positively and with a huge sense of optimism about where this industry is headed.

The EV charging sector hasn't had an easy ride. Over the past two years or so, we've seen companies struggle, we've seen businesses disappear, and we've seen plenty of people question where the market is going next. Yet after three days surrounded by the people building, operating and innovating across the value chain, it's hard not to feel excited about the future. The direction of travel is most definitely electric.

What struck me most is how much the industry continues to mature. The conversations are different now. Less focus on who can announce the biggest numbers and more focus on how we build sustainable businesses, improve customer experiences and create the foundations needed for long-term adoption.

Consolidation was a major talking point and I don't think that's changing anytime soon. Some distressed networks will inevitably fade into the history books and I expect we'll continue to see several more acquisitions, particularly where charge point operators have secured attractive locations and strategic assets. That's not necessarily a negative. In many ways, it's a sign of a market growing up.

At the same time, growth remains firmly on the agenda. The difference is that growth is increasingly being measured by customer loyalty, utilisation, reliability and repeat business, rather than simply network size. One of the best comments I heard during the event came from Andy Higgins, EV Network Manager at Radius - "Reliability isn't just about 100% uptime. Reliability is about your customers coming back over and over and over again." That hits the nail on the head for me. No longer is it about getting the most chargers in the ground, it’s about getting the most out of them. After all, what is 100% uptime if utilisation is zero?

Competition across the sector is only going to intensify. CPOs, MSPs, CPMS providers, OEMs and technology vendors will continue to compete aggressively, but I don't believe the winners will be determined by price alone. The businesses that emerge strongest will be those that focus on quality, reliability, repeatability, utilisation and customer experience. Chasing the lowest price is a race to the bottom. Building genuine value is a much stronger strategy.

Another clear takeaway is that we are far closer to truly seamless charging experiences than many people realise. AFIR continues to push the industry in the right direction and interoperability remains a major priority for everyone involved. Plug & Charge is no longer a distant ambition. It's becoming a reality, not only for DC charging but increasingly within the AC ecosystem too.

AI was another topic that featured heavily throughout the conference, but unlike previous years, the conversation felt much more practical. The focus has moved beyond the hype. Operators are deploying AI to improve uptime, support customers, optimise operations and ultimately deliver better charging experiences – and at scale. The potential impact for both private and commercial EV drivers is significant.

If there was one theme that sat above everything else, it was collaboration. It was a fitting theme for ICNC26 because collaboration at scale will be essential if we're serious about accelerating adoption. Better energy integration, further digitisation and genuine interoperability between market participants will play a critical role in what's next. No single business can achieve this alone.

It's also impossible to ignore the momentum building behind heavy-duty transport. The economics continue to improve, TCO parity is becoming increasingly attractive and the case for eHGV adoption is stronger than ever. The progress being made here is substantial and feels like one of the most important opportunities over the coming years.

My biggest takeaway from Berlin is simple: consolidation may be accelerating, but so is maturity.

The entire value chain is getting stronger. We're seeing smarter energy management, continued progress in V2G, better customer solutions and much closer collaboration between the businesses shaping this industry.

The headlines may continue to focus on the challenges – especially during this ongoing consolidation phase. But, what I saw at ICNC26 were the builders, innovators and operators who are quietly getting on with the work of making electrified transport a reality.

And that leaves me as optimistic as ever about what's coming next. ⚡️

Best,

Steve