Enovates, the Belgian manufacturer of electric-vehicle charging stations established in Lokeren, East-Flanders, had to close its books after several years of financial losses. After several weeks of intense negotiations, former founder Bart Vereecke managed to realize a restart with four of his key managers, who will be co-investing, and with the support of Dutch investor Kees Koolen.
Enovates has installed several hundred thousand charging stations across Europe, and many charge point operators were worried about future maintenance. Enovates’ charging stations are renowned for their high quality, but if production were to halt and the company were to go bankrupt, who would provide spare parts and maintenance services in the future?
Starting in 2012
Enovates was founded in 2012 by Bart Vereecke as a pioneer in charging facilities. Until 2023, Enovates was a growing business, but when Shell Recharge suddenly stopped, as the oil company withdrew from this market, problems soon arose. Shell Recharge accounted for half of Enovates’ turnover.
The manufacturer was initially saved from bankruptcy by the Dutch Connect Group, but the group finally pulled the plug due to mounting losses in recent years. As already mentioned, Enovates has over 300,000 private charging stations across Europe, and several large operators, such as TotalEnergies, Interparking, and EnergyVision, have installed many of its products.
“We have approximately 1,000 Enovates charging stations functioning on public roads or at home for private individuals,” says EnergyVision CEO Maarten Michielssens in De Tijd. In the UK, Enovates had a deal with Nissan to investigate V2G (vehicle-to -grid) possibilities. “It really had excellent technology,” commented Michielssens.
Founder Bart Vereecke was once again looking for potential investors to help restart operations, so that at least the existing infrastructure could be maintained and existing contracts could be followed up. A significant number of Enovate’s clients would be very relieved if this could happen.
Restart in 2026
Now, the relaunch is a fact. Enovates Group NV is a new independent company created by former Enovates founder Bart Vereecke and four key managers of the former company, who will co-invest in it. The technology and the client base are taken over with a focus on continuity, quality, and further product development.
The new entity’s first priority is to restore confidence among existing clients by delivering continuous software support and parts service. Bart Vereecke leads the restart as the new CEO, together with the four key managers. They all invest personally in the new company, and approximately half of the personnel follow them, guaranteeing that technology, quality, and service are up to date.
The new company’s focus will be on reliable charging solutions, open smart-charging software, bidirectional V2G, and excellent service. Enovates Group will focus on B2B clients, including charging networks, parking operators, large companies, and public infrastructure providers.
Bart Vereecke: “Enovates always had strong technology, loyal customers, and excellent product knowledge. These are values we couldn’t afford to lose. We’re bringing back the pioneering mentality of 2012; this is not a classic relaunch but a second chance to bring Belgian charging technology back to the fore.”
Major investor Kees Koolen adds: “I’m convinced that all transport will be electrified in the future. Countries like Norway and the Netherlands teach us that the energy transition accelerates fast once it gains traction. Electric driving is cheaper, cleaner, quieter, and more comfortable. Enovates has the team and technology to play a key role in this transition. My engagement is clearly for the long term; I want to be part of this development.”
Kees Koolen is best known for booking.com and Uber, but he has been an early investor in more than 20 unicorns across Europe and South America. Lately, his largest investments concern the energy transition, focusing on charging and charging infrastructure, and smart energy systems.
