For EVs to replace fossil-fuel cars, charging needs to be faster, lower cost, more widely available, and most efficiently use available grid capacity. Go Eve offers a technology that can transform EV charging. Its technology solves this problem by extending the reach of a single rapid DC charger to a daisy chain of low-cost charging terminals.
Funding to install DockChain systems
A pioneering UK startup Go Eve, an EV charging startup, and a joint University College Dublin and Imperial College London spin-out has secured £3 million in its first funding round. The round saw participation from The Pearl Family Office, Carter Gem, Automotive Ventures Inc., Kero Development Partners, and Cur8 Capital.
Go Eve will use the initial fundraising round to secure its supply chains and significantly scale production. This financial backing will also be used for the first installations of the DockChain system on sites over the Summer. Go Eve wants to ensure volume availability in Europe and the US before the end of the year.
Hugh Sheehy, CEO, Go Eve said, “Our technology does all these things, which is why we see a future with rapid charging in every space. We have reliable manufacturing partners who can rapidly scale cable and microchip production to meet our expected growth. We currently have the capacity for hundreds of installations now – we’re prepared for thousands next year. We anticipate strong pickup for DockChain, particularly for fleet operators and in destination car parks.”
Tom Flanagan, Director of Enterprise and Commercialisation, UCD said, “Given the importance of climate action and sustainability it is fantastic to see Go Eve close this £3 million seed funding round to enable it to take the next steps in bringing its innovative electric charging solution to market. We are delighted to continue to collaborate with our colleagues in Imperial College London as we support Go Eve in commercialising its exciting DockChain technology which has the potential to make a significant impact on how EVs are charged on the global stage.”
“Go Eve is another great example of an Imperial start-up that has the potential to deliver a strong return on investment while tackling the challenges of climate and environmental change,” noted Dr James Groves, Head of Investment Services at Imperial, which is a shareholder in the company.
Low-cost scalable rapid EV charging
Go Eve was co-founded by Hugh Sheehy, John Goodbody, Professor Robert Shorten, Dr Pietro Ferraro, and Andrew Cullen in 2021. The company has offices at NovaUCD in Dublin and in London.
The technology was originally invented by a team of academics and researchers led by Professor Shorten at the UCD School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering. Professor Shorten moved to the Dyson School of Design Engineering at Imperial where the technology was further advanced by him and his team.
Go Eve’s DockChain technology aims to make high-power DC charging cost-competitive with lower-power AC charging options. The tech achieves this by extending the reach of single rapid chargers to service multiple parking spaces. Go Eve’s technology solves this problem by extending the reach of a single rapid DC charger to a daisy-chain of low-cost charging terminals.
Its software intelligently manages a virtual queue, flowing high power to each individual connected EV, scheduling each in turn. The company completed a successful pilot installation at the Imperial campus last November.
