We Drive Solar: Pioneering solar-powered EV charging in Utrecht

Front runner for e-Mobility solutions

We Drive Solar is an innovation project that integrates solutions for mobility and energy systems for the future. The project was set up in 2015 as a collaboration between LomboXnet, Elaad, Renault and Last Mile Solutions, and it’s already had several ‘world firsts’.

The first of these innovations was the large-scale connection of thousands of solar panels to charging stations and batteries. Advanced technology has made the local storage and use of solar energy a reality, resulting in the decentralization of the existing energy network in the Lombok district of Utrecht.

The second innovation of global significance was the development of the bi-directional AC charging station. This enables energy to be fed back to the local power grid when needed, and it’s another essential step toward decentralization. The ‘smart’ charging station makes it possible for compatible cars to serve as neighbourhood energy suppliers and thus accelerate the energy transition.

The importance of these developments was underlined by the presence of King Willem Alexander, who officially opened the bi-directional charging station on 21 March 2019. Together with the City of Utrecht and partners, the roll-out of 145 bi-directional charging stations is now taking place. Robin Berg, owner of LomboXnet acknowledged the contribution made by Last Mile Solutions: ”By attracting Last Mile Solutions as a partner, major steps have been taken towards our vision to make Utrecht more sustainable”.

Creating a vision and turning it into reality

The vision of We Drive Solar: pave the way for 100% sustainable mobility. To make this possible, clean energy is needed to power our cars. Under the leadership of LomboXnet, charging stations that are connected to solar panels are now being installed in Utrecht. Drivers will be able to charge their cars with energy generated locally, helping the district move closer toward energy independence.

The EV charging & smart energy management platform of Last Mile Solutions has proven itself in recent years, especially when it comes to combining solar power and load poles. The first sun-controlled charging station was successfully installed in the Lombox district way back in 2015 as part of the We Drive Solar project. Since then, the number of charging stations in and around Utrecht has been growing steadily, and the vision of We Drive Solar is becoming reality. So far, more than 120,000 transactions have been processed on the approximately 250 charging stations of We Drive Solar.