Verbund invests in Graz-based startup Easelink

Fully automated and plugged charging for electric vehicles, without manually connecting the charging cable. Easelink, based in Graz, developed and patented this technology under the name Matrix Charging. Once the car is on top of the charging pad, the connector lowers from the bottom of the car and connects to the pad. This method has a transmission efficiency of more than 99 percent, Easelink explains.

Verbund is now also relying on this technology and investing 1.5 million euros through its venture capital unit Verbund X Ventures. “Easelink’s automated charging solution offers the potential to significantly support electric mobility and accelerate the transition to a sustainable energy system,” Michael Strogel, CEO of Verbund, said in a press release.

Charging infrastructure is one of the biggest challenges to the widespread introduction of electric vehicles, and Easelink is a leading provider of simple automated solutions, according to the association. “Easelink seeks to achieve a high level of ambition with a potentially disruptive technology, developed in Austria. This innovation fits our strategy,” explains Franz Zuschbauer, Managing Director of Verbund X Ventures. “They want to help the company expand and develop.”

Easelink already works with leading car manufacturers. There are branches in Austria and China, and the team employs around 40 employees. “We are convinced that automated charging is the key to widespread electric mobility,” said Hermann Stockinger, founder and CEO of Easelink.