Judge Business School Alumnus and Faculty Member Develop Innovative Electric Vehicle Technology
Peter Hiscocks, senior faculty in management practice at Cambridge University Judge Business School, along with alumnus Erik Fairbarn, recently developed POD Point, a business that provides electric car charging stations in businesses, homes and public spaces.
The innovative electric vehicle technology runs on a web or mobile app, which gives users a 15-minute window to cancel or continue the charge. The app platform replaces an old system that required users to scan a card into the station.
Business Weekly UK told the story of the idea’s inception, which was conceived during a brainstorming session at Judge. After selling a former venture, Fairbarn (CEO) and Hiscocks (chairman) realized that the electric car market held strong possibilities. Analysts predict that by 2020, a fifth of vehicles in the United Kingdom will be electric.
Hiscocks states in the article, “Our goal is to make sure there is a POD Point wherever you park for an hour or more. This includes at home, at work and at destinations where you stop frequently.
“That way, whenever you return to your car it’s always fully charged. Our network in the U.K. continues to grow but we want to see some more coverage here and then move full throttle into Europe.”
POD Point has sold more than 20,000 units. Customers include supermarket chain Sainsbury’s and the National Trust. The team’s goal is to gain traction with Cambridge Science & Tech companies, installing charging stations for electric company cars. Other destinations are retail centers and business parks.
Hiscocks and Faribarn foresee a clear path of expansion through mainland Europe, with a market already taking hold in Scandinavia.
