IES Synergy – IES stands for Intelligent Electronic Systems – is a leading supplier of advanced fast charging solutions for electric vehicles. Based in Saint Aunè s (near Montpellier in southern France), the company develops and produces external charging stations for EV passenger cars, taxis and buses. IES Synergy also provides on-board chargers for light, utility and industrial electric vehicles including fork-lift trucks, aerial construction platforms and golf carts.
"Today we ‘charge’ ahead with our solutions, with more than 50% of our sales now being outside of Europe." Jean-Benoit MoreauInternational Marketing Director
All IES charging solutions use the company’s advanced high-frequency KEYWATT or ELIPS technologies which enable fast and reliable charging, either on-board, on the road, or at any other place. Established in 1992, IES Synergy is one of the pioneers in rapid charging solutions for electric vehicles. “We started 25 years ago with designing and manufacturing chargers for electric industrial vehicles, requiring highly durable and compact products,” says International Marketing Director Jean-Benoit Moreau.
Since 2011, IES Synergy has also been manufacturing charging products for electric cars; the first car equipped with an IES charger was the Renault Twizzy. “With our roots in industrial vehicles, we quickly became a solution in the EV market,” explains Mr. Moreau. “We were the first supplier to partner with BMW in 2012, providing a KEYWATT Trolley Mobile Charger, equipped with the Combo protocol to charge the BMW i3. We have since produced more than 3,000 KEYWATT DC Wallbox chargers which can be found in many regions of the world. Today we ‘charge’ ahead with our solutions, with more than 50% of our sales now being outside of Europe”.
IES Synergy does over 20 million EUR in revenue and employs 120 people at its headquarters near Montpellier, with offices in Germany, the United States and China. “In 2015, we entered the Chinese market with a great joint venture partner, Wanma, to further grow our position in one of the most dynamically evolving electromobility markets worldwide,” says Mr. Moreau. “Not only does this joint venture in China give us access to the Chinese market but it also enables us to keep a strong competitive edge,” adds Mr. Moreau.
All IES external charging solutions, whether mobile, in a wallbox or on power modules, are compatible with the standard protocols used for communication between the charger and the vehicle: Combo 1&2, CHAdeMO and GB (for China). “Many car manufacturers, as well as the European Comission Joint Research Center, currently use our mobile solutions in their R&D labs or factories, and it is a great asset for ensuring a perfect communication between the car and the charger,” states Mr. Moreau. The main advantage of the IES Synergy charging solutions is their fast and easy deployment. “Installed in less than two hours, at a fraction of the cost considered for other solutions on the market, our DC 24kW wallbox can provide fast charging solutions in an easy way”.
IES Synergy is contributing to overcome a major obstacle in achieving the breakthrough of electromobility: the long time it takes for charging. “95% of today’s charging systems are slow” states Mr. Moreau. “With the growing prevalence of electric vehicles, demand for fast charging solutions will rapidly accelerate. New habits will also appear, charging electric cars will be completed in one hour while shopping, going to a restaurant, watching a movie etc. We see our fast charging solutions as critical to serving the high growth EV market and we are charging ahead to be the solution.”
IES Synergy is constantly developing new, more efficient charging solutions to expand its market presence. “In October, we shall present a new universal charging system designed to work with any type of electric car. To address the strong emerging Electric Bus markets in Europe and North America, as cities move towards all-electric buses, IES solutions are also well positioned for this new market, with a successful test phase completed in Paris,” says Mr. Moreau. “We believe that electromobility has the potential to change our society with clean energy, and we are well prepared to make a substantial contribution to this change.”