Electric vehicles

Charging into the future

Rasso Bartenschlager, general manager at Al Masaood Power Division speaks to Technical Review Middle East about the company’s charging solutions for the region’s burgeoning EV market.

Technical Review Middle East (TRME): What makes Al Masaood's smart solution for EVs, unique? Rasso Bartenschlager (RB): SHAMS+ is the first UAEbuilt ultrafast and smart charging solution that marks a new chapter in our sustainability journey. It will not only help decarbonise the transport industry but will also foster EV adoption in the industrial, construction and marine sectors. With an extensive network of universal charging stations that can cater to all battery needs of the automotive and maritime sectors, we intend to make our services available even in remote, hardtoreach or hardtoconnect areas.

The SHAMS* Network of charging is an ideal solution for marine docks, the desert, agricultural fields, and interstate highways, and can also be implemented in the city. With smart internetbased and mobile ventures, the solution will provide sustainable charging through solar energy at the highest charging speed starting from 25 minutes. What makes the solution special is that it does not require a traditional source of electricity as it is based on a solar power solution. SHAMS+ also operates cordless for better flexibility and easier installation in various urban and rural locations.

TRME: How is it contributing to the UAE's decarbonisation goals and enabling green mobility? RB: As a pioneer in the sector, we are committed to assisting in the transition to sustainable and green energy by providing bestinclass technologies and innovation that help reduce carbon emissions and fasttrack the goals of the UAE Net Zero 2050 strategic initiative. The fullyfledged, solarpowered charging solution for electric vehicles (EVs) – including cars, buses, trucks,

Photo Credit : Al Masaood

Rasso Bartenschlager, general manager at Al Masaood Power Division.

and marine vessels – SHAMS+ will contribute to electrification and green mobility, which is the future of transportation.

TRME: What factors, are contributing to increasing EV adoption in the Middle East? And how do they help expand the market for Al Masaood's electric vehicle charging solution? RB: The GCC countries are taking serious measures to diversify their energy sources by shifting from heavy dependency on oil to investing in sustainable energy, especially solar energy. Backed by a large customer base, the adoption of EVs is picking up pace due to governments and investors channelling funds to develop the infrastructure required to popularise green mobility and electrification as the future of transportation. The awareness and concern of consumers about climate change are also acting as a catalyst for the transition to ecofriendly alternatives from internal

The popularisation of EVs in the region will in turn help us further expand. We provide the ultimate solution for key challenges in achieving decarbonisation goals.

combustion engine vehicles. This trend has encouraged automobile manufacturers to bring more EV models to the market every year, giving more options to consumers.

With countries exploring ways to accelerate the transition to net zero CO2 emissions, Al Masaood is committed to facilitating economies to shift to clean and renewable energy sources. Mostly what discourages people from buying EVs is the fact that it is complicated with different charger types and a lack of charging stations. Through our solarpowered SHAMS+, we intend to make charging stations readily available for consumers for all types of electric vehicles – including cars, buses, trucks, and marine vessels. With smart internetbased and universal charging ventures, the solution operates with better flexibility and easier installation in various urban and rural locations. SHAMS+ runs on solar energy, making it an ideal solution for the GCC as there is little presence of clouds, 20% around the year, in the region.

The popularisation of EVs in the region will in turn help us further expand, as with our SHAMS+, we provide the ultimate solution to key challenges to achieving decarbonisation goals.

TRME: How is the solution integrating remote monitoring and control systems to ensure uninterrupted power? RB: SHAMS+ is a smart connected modular charging solution with a distinct automatic matching voltage recognition for stable charging. Even though a smart charging solution shares the same fundamental design as a regular EV charger, the most distinguishing feature is its ability to be connected and transmit data for a convenient operation. This feature, which gives the smart charging solution a competitive edge over others, requires a modem to link to a network. The EV drivers can use a charging app to locate and manage their charging requirements. This enables drivers to book and control charging sessions remotely and get accurate energyusage insights to help optimise performance and reduce costs. ■