LinkedIn posts this week have fanned rumours of another high profile EV industry casualty with Evie Networks laying off a number of staff members. Reports suggest up to 30% of staff have been made redundant.
Evie Networks CEO, Chris Mills, has told Fleet EV News that the changes are required to allow the continued growth of the public EV charging network provider.
“Evie Networks has recently undertaken a restructure to streamline operations and further position the company for continued growth. As a result, a number of roles across the business have been affected,” Mills said in a statement.
“The Evie Networks team is the backbone of the company, and we recognise the personal impact of this decision. We are committed to supporting those affected through this time. Despite these changes we remain dedicated to providing a top-tier charging experience to all EV drivers.”
The goal to build 1,000 charging stations by the end of 2026 is ambitious and will require a large amount of capital. Despite millions of dollars in support from State and Federal governments, public charging networks still need customers to use the network which requires continued growth in electric vehicle new car sales.
With significant competition in the home charging market, Evie Networks has positioned itself as a premium public charging alternative to free AC chargers found in many shopping centres. While cheaper than many Telsa Superchargers despite price rises earlier this year, the sales of non-Tesla electric are still low with many private owners charging at home with free solar power.
The transition by companies to electric vehicles has also been slower than expected with many fleets still in the ‘test and trial’ phase of their move to EVs. And early adopters have focused on building their own charging infrastructure rather than relying on public networks.
Evie Networks shared a financial backer with Tritium so there have been questions raised about appetite for further financial support in a market that is growing slower than expected with may have promoted the actions this week.
