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Smart Charge · 14 August 2025 · 45 min

1,2 Millionen Unique Visitors - wie Sebastian Henßler E‑Mobility‑News skaliert und was das für die Branche bedeutet

Transcript

Cleaned up from a machine transcript. Translations are machine-generated and may contain errors.

Welcome to the Smart Charge by RiDERgy Podcast. This is Claudio Geyken, Founder and CEO of RiDERgy. This is your show to learn about all things energy management and smart charging innovation for electric vehicles and fleets.

Today I'm speaking with Sebastian Häsler, founder and editor-in-chief of Elektroauto News and host of the podcast of the same name. Sebastian took over the portal in 2016 and has since built it into Germany's leading e-mobility news platform. He now reaches over 1.2 million unique visitors per month. On weekdays, his team delivers up to 15 articles daily. He also sends out a free newsletter, and with China EV Pulse in English, he brings us the latest trends from China's booming market directly to our inbox. Today we'll clarify how a controlling manager became a full-time e-mobility evangelist

why smart bidirectional charging is still taking its time, and which battery and autonomy breakthroughs will come next. Sebastian, let's get started. Great that you're here in Berlin today. You've travelled here. How was the journey? And why are you in Berlin anyway, apart of course from this podcast recording? Well, first and foremost it's for the podcast recording. But it's also a good opportunity to stop by tomorrow – we're recording today on Friday – on Saturday for Formula E at Tempelhof and experience mobility a bit more on the emotional side.

That's Formula E. And how can you picture that? I've never been to a Formula E event. Have you been before? I've actually been in Berlin twice. We've also been in Monaco twice, with Jaguar and with various other manufacturers where you get insights. And you can imagine it – Formula 1 fans probably won't like this comparison – but you can imagine it like Formula 1, just with less

noise and more emotion, at least for me. Back then, my dad and my brothers always liked to watch Formula 1. For me it didn't really spark interest. With Formula E, which also started with the idea of bringing these races into the cities, a different connection emerges. It's not like a race track that's off the beaten path where you don't build a connection, but simply because you're out in the city, you get

a different relationship to it. Tempelhof is of course a special area in itself where it takes place. But I still remember – that was the first Formula E season where N-TV broadcast it – where the vehicles actually drove through the city here in Berlin. And I found that quite breathtaking. I thought it makes the whole thing more tangible, and you get a connection to it. And most importantly, what's really nice: it's more affordable.

You can go there with your family. Of course you have to pay admission, but I think Formula E is something where you can go as a family and enjoy yourself more easily because there's appropriate supporting entertainment around it, compared to Formula 1 where you have the corresponding ticket prices. But I think the comparison might not even be necessary, because they're also two different target audiences. Yeah, interesting. And before we dive into other topics,

maybe you could introduce yourself a bit – what's your background and how did you particularly get into the e-mobility topic? Of course, happy to. So, Sebastian Häsler. I currently run the portal Elektroauto-News.net. We're a news portal that reports on e-mobility on weekdays – also on Saturdays. On Sundays there's a podcast, and three times a week – on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays – there's a newsletter that curates various content from the world of e-mobility and sends it free to your inbox. And as the name Elektroauto-News.net already says: it's about electric cars.

We're focused purely on that. Plug-in hybrids play a role in some cases, also because of political and regulatory developments in that area. How did I get into it? Well, you have to go back a bit. In 2003 I started an apprenticeship as an industrial clerk at an automotive supplier in Baden-Württemberg. Then I completed my industrial clerk qualification, then industrial technical manager, business manager, and then my bachelor's in business administration on the side. Throughout all this, I worked in controlling for a long time – so I determined what our parts cost the customer, the OEM, the car manufacturer, ultimately, plus tools and so on. And then came 2016, where the question was: e-mobility is a topic in Germany – how can a company position itself? Because I had always tried to contribute more beyond my job, I started looking into the topic, and back then I kept everything in Word files, in emails that circulated around the company, but then I decided: because I already had some experience with blogs and portals from other areas – maybe you could put it online, maybe someone would be interested. I came across the Elektroauto-News domain, saw that up to 2013 a few articles had been published – around 200 of them. I contacted the owner back then. Long story short: we came to an agreement. I took over the portal. That was early June 2016. Mid-June 2016, the Chancellor at that time, Angela Merkel, said we're going to do e-mobility

Ultimately, I set pricing for our parts for customers, the OEMs, the car manufacturers, plus tools and so forth. And then came 2016, when the question was: e-mobility is becoming a topic in Germany – how should our company position itself? Since I had always tried to contribute more beyond my job, I got involved with the topic, back then I kept everything in Word files, in emails that circulated around the company, but then I decided: because I already had some experience with blogs and portals from other areas – maybe you could document it online, maybe someone would be interested. I came across the Elektroauto-News domain, saw that a few articles had been published until 2013 – around 200 of them. I contacted the owner back then. Long story short: we reached an agreement. I took over the portal. That was early June 2016. Mid-June 2016, the Chancellor at that time, Angela Merkel, said we're going to push e-mobility

also already had some experience with blogs and portals from other areas – you could maybe document it online, maybe someone would be interested. I came across the Elektroauto-News domain, saw that until 2013 a few articles had been published – around 200 of them. I contacted the owner back then. Long story short: we came to an agreement. I took over the portal. That was early June 2016. Mid-June 2016, the Chancellor at the time, Angela Merkel, said we're making e-mobility

To make it shorter: on that day we somehow had 17,000 visitors on the website. And then I already knew: "Oh, okay, this seems to have struck a nerve," because that's quite something. And then the whole thing grew as a side project for years with a small team that I built up. And in December 2022 I then decided to go completely into self-employment. I had become a purchasing director in the meantime at the company where I was working, and I was also responsible for a multi-million annual budget there.

then with Covid and all the challenges that came with it, and also with the developments in the automotive industry, which I only had limited control over, I said: "Well, now I'm going to try to find my luck in myself and take it outward, because at least then I have both the good and the bad in my own hands and I'm responsible for what I make of it." And I have a topic that excites me, and since then I can pursue the whole thing with a bit more momentum.

Did you also have the topic of e-mobility as a core part of the business at the company where you were, or was that completely outside the picture? It was completely outside the picture. Essentially it was mainly about seals for vehicles. And it didn't matter whether it was a petrol, diesel or electric car. Then the thought came up: "Oh, if we're now going with quiet powertrains, then we don't need this insulation and damping anymore, because there's no longer this noise." But that's actually wrong, because the fact that the vehicle itself is quieter means you hear the tyre noise even more. You hear the noise coming from outside. So damping and seals are more important than ever. And that was also an area I got into.

I understand. And you are – yes, I read recently – you reached one million downloads. How do you look back on that? You already described a bit: it started in 2016.

I assume there were a few roller coaster rides? Or what were the milestones of your build-up that got you this far with Elektroauto-News? Exactly. You're just referring to the podcast, which I'll get to in a moment too. Yes, that was the portal where we built up steadily. It started with me writing 23 news articles a day, always alongside my job, before and after. In 2016 there wasn't that much development yet. I had then

I was fortunate to stumble upon an editor relatively quickly at another portal – Michael Neissendorfer, who is now our editor-in-chief. He's had my back ever since, we got along well, and we're now also friends, well beyond a purely professional relationship. At least that's how I see it. I think Michael sees it the same way. And I was fortunate to find support early on. The team has grown in the meantime and has changed a bit here and there.

We've now reached the point where we're putting out about 10 to 15 news articles a day, which perform well in Google News, Google Discover and in regular search, and have thus gained relevance accordingly. Almost 900,000 to 1.2 million unique visitors per month currently on the website. The podcast you mentioned comes out every Sunday – normally four times a month in a typical month. And that's added up since then. That was, I think,

2018 when I started it, to address things not just in pure text form as facts, but also via a different channel. And because I made valuable, interesting contacts during that time, that's how we got in touch. I'm also incredibly curious and I enjoy engaging in exchange with people. I have this podcast mobile, so to speak, that I can use to talk with people.

From the outside it looks like I'm doing something good for our listeners. But to be honest, I'm doing myself the biggest favour, because I learn so much from these conversations. And through this multitude of conversations – suppliers, startups like you now, automakers, the eco-industry, so also renewable energy – you learn so much, can connect it all together and take that knowledge with you. It also expands your own horizons. And the podcast has, as I said, now in

June 2025 crossed the one-million-download threshold. In the end it's just a number. It doesn't change the fact that I'll keep going as before. But it's certainly a milestone – one million, that's a number that makes a statement all by itself. And then there's also our newsletter, which goes out on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, as I mentioned earlier. It currently has about 15 to 16,000 subscribers per send, which is quite a lot of people if you picture them somewhere.

And we send out – just through the three-times-weekly distribution, sometimes more often depending on what topic comes up – hundreds of thousands to millions of emails per year. Which isn't ultra sustainable, of course, but the thing is, you reach people directly, and we get a lot of feedback for it. So there's real exchange happening there, not so anonymous, and families write to me, for instance, who are now

just considering getting an electric car. They don't know, they're wavering between two models. But there are also fleet operators who then say: "Well, does it make sense for us to switch?" And that's when I move out of this journalistic role, which I don't necessarily see myself in, into more of an advisory role and can add real value there, and then I can also be quite clear and say: "Listen, maybe electric mobility isn't quite the right fit for your profile yet, or unfortunately for your budget." And

that we look for alternatives together. And you've also become a LinkedIn Top Voice. You're quite an influencer in the German-speaking space on LinkedIn on this topic too. Was that a side effect? Or did you have to build that up intentionally? Well, I already knew back then in 2022 – that was October, November – that I would quit and go self-employed. And then I knew: okay, I need to build some channel somewhere to win potential clients, or at least interview guests for the podcast, and then I stumbled across LinkedIn at that time. I'd been registered there for years, but never really did anything active. And then I thought: I encounter so many fascinating topics every day. And there's also so much misinformation circulating out there around the topic of e-mobility, where people constantly stir up sentiment, and those who are in this bubble

say: "Okay, that's wrong." But unfortunately not everyone else knows it. And I'm at least trying to back that up with facts. Of course also occasionally presented in an emotional way so that some people get engaged. And then I thought: fine, so I'll just share what worked well in the portal, or what I could take away from conversations – my learnings – to share that too. And I think I simply had the unfair advantage that I did it daily, that I reported on this topic daily for a whole year. LinkedIn was growing in Germany at the same time. You could see: okay, my articles are being received there and they're also being commented on. I really got into the exchange – I engage in exchange with very many people about it. And then it just developed. I'm not getting a big head about the title now, but it does make quite a few things easier, so to speak, when it comes to making contact

are, say: "Okay, that's wrong." But unfortunately not everyone else knows it. And I'm at least trying to back that up with facts. Of course also occasionally presented in an emotional way so that some people get engaged. And then I thought: fine, so I'll just share what worked well in the portal, or what I could take away from conversations – my learnings – to share that too. And I think I simply had the unfair advantage that I did it daily, that I reported on this topic daily for a whole year. LinkedIn was growing in Germany at the same time. You could see: okay, my articles are being received there and they're also being commented on. I really got into the exchange – I engage in exchange with very many people about it. And then it just developed. I'm not getting a big head about the title now, but it does make quite a few things easier, so to speak, when it comes to making contact

made it daily, that I reported on this topic daily for a whole year. LinkedIn was growing in Germany at the same time. You could see: okay, my articles are being received there and they're also being commented on. I really got into the exchange – I engage in exchange with very many people about it. And then it just developed. I'm not getting a big head about the title now, but it does make quite a few things easier, so to speak, when it comes to making contact

gains traction, because at least a certain image is associated with it. And if you have a certain number of followers, you're more likely to get a response than if you're out there without a profile picture and without a description. And does that actually come automatically from LinkedIn, or how should I imagine that? So they had already noticed that there's traction – momentum – on my profile, that there are corresponding comments, reach and so on. And then you're asked whether you can imagine doing that

and especially whether you'll keep working on the topic, because they always occupy certain flagship projects. And that's not just the e-mobility topic. That exists in all other areas too, where different people stand for a topic to make it more tangible, because people interact with people on such a social platform, not people with companies or with faceless brands. And yes, otherwise there's nothing attached to it.

I can continue writing whatever I want. There's no interference. Every now and then there's a trigger that says: "Attention, subsidy policy in Germany is being discussed. Don't you want to chip in your two cents?" – where I just get a nudge to pick up certain topics and get into the news of the day. But otherwise I just tackle the topics where I have fun and enjoy it, where I think I can add value. They're also sometimes a bit provocative,

especially topics like e-fuels, bidirectional charging. Those are always topics that trigger a bit, because there are many different opinions on them, which are all initially correct because they are simply the personal opinion of each person. But I think I've also grown a bit in my opinion and no longer want to please everyone, but rather numbers, data, facts – that's my subject, where I say I can convince with that because it's solid and it appeals to people on a different emotional level. I understand that. But

there are always two perspectives that you simply have to take into account. And what are some topics that preoccupy you even more, apart from the two you've already mentioned? I also saw recently that you did an interesting post about lithium – I'm not entirely sure how that came about – it looked quite interesting. Exactly. Well, the lithium topic is one of those prejudices – keyword water consumption, child labour. You name it. And that's

part of it. But I've also been in exchange with the company SQM for a long time – one of the world's leading lithium producers. That had already been going on in the background for years. We also always reported independently on the topic, and we also report critically on it. So that's where the journalistic touch comes from: we don't let our opinion be bought. That's also extremely important, because otherwise our portal won't be read either. Nevertheless, they said at 2024 – a bit in advance, but 2024 was

Then the essence in January, February, when it was said: We're opening all doors and gates in Chile. Come by. Talk to employees, you can choose freely. Talk to the people living there. Talk to politicians. Form your own picture and report on it if you like. We did that. An e-book came out of it for us, where we then looked at the topic of lithium from all angles across roughly 50, 55 pages. Especially with regard to water consumption, where you

Then see: okay, in the broad mass there are simply more prejudices than the facts actually confirm. And I found that incredibly interesting because I really had the feeling we could do some educational work there. We're currently working on an update of this whole water consumption story. That's already pretty much finished. We're just doing a fact-check internally right now to make sure it's solid. Last Wednesday I was here and conducted an interview with Michael Schmidt – he's actually the

Raw materials expert for lithium here in Germany – and we really dug deep because it's also about dependencies, then from Europe to China. How do you position yourself in the coming years? Where is the journey going? Because lithium is not just important for e-mobility. It's the material that's currently used in batteries and accumulators. When we think about AI, artificial intelligence, that also needs servers, power, energy to operate them. If we want to get that from

Renewables, we also need to store it somewhere. So we also need that for it, in renewable energies in general. If we want to buffer wind power, hydroelectric power, no matter what, to then cushion that, we need that material too. It has immense significance. The significance will grow even more. I think that's being quite underestimated at the moment. And that's why it's simply important to me because it's still one of the levers where we as Germany, but also Europe, can position ourselves a bit better

Than what we may have currently done in e-mobility in direct comparison to China. And then there's this topic of bidirectional charging that I already mentioned because it's quite interesting. I don't think we need to go deeper into that. And then also the whole topic of sector coupling, where we can say: okay, we have the e-car itself. Then at home we have a battery storage with a PV system, ideally. We're of course not talking about the masses here. But for apartment buildings that will

Become interesting too with appropriate scaling if you understand it. And then also the topic of corporate fleets: How do you get that together? And then you have these three points that you can connect with each other, that can also work together – especially when you also bring in the topic of bidirectional charging. Where do I charge? Where do I discharge? How can I use that? That's also just very lively. And a lot is happening in that area too. Yes, let's go a bit

Deeper into the topic because this podcast is about Smart Charge and how the big ones are charging – fleets of course too. How do you see that? You've already gathered many years of experience. Your open opinion on the topic. Some critics say it will never come because people have been talking about bidirectional charging for so long. But there's already potential you can tap into today. What are your thoughts? When will it come? How will it come? What are the obstacles? I'm

Really curious about when this thing comes. So I believe it will definitely come. There's no way around it if we want to implement this mobility and energy transition – it's simply an important building block we have. Especially because VW once said: We're not really talking about cars on wheels, but rather we have electricity storage on wheels that are on the move. Cars typically stand still 23 hours a day, as well-known statistics show. So why not use them to buffer

Corresponding energy? That will come. But I also once conducted an interview with a professor doctor – the name escapes me right now – also from the battery field. He told me back in 2021: bidirectional charging, not a topic at all. Cars can do it, the storage can do it, the charging stations can actually already do it. The only ones who can't and are about 5 to 8 years behind are the political regulations, because that has a whole train of consequences. Dynamic charging, dynamic electricity tariffs, like you just

Said, is also super interesting. You can also use that if you don't have an e-car. So you still have a certain consumption in your house. Whether it's the washing machine, dryer, dishwasher, you name it. TV, to mention perhaps the smallest thing – which you can already use. And even there we see the so-called smart meters, which are necessary to use dynamic electricity tariffs. You wait sometimes years for that if you don't apply appropriate pressure and know where

To push because your electricity supplier, your standard electricity supplier, isn't interested in selling you electricity cheaper. You have to say that quite clearly. There are business models, old principles and structures attached to that, and that can't be changed within a few months or years. You have to learn that unfortunately. And there are also statistics for that where you actually already know now: even by 2030 not all people here in Germany will have a dynamic smart meter in place. And that's a shame. And I see

the same thing happens at our place too. We currently live in a three-party house, so it's our own property, but we wanted to build charging stations there too. It's an older house. Back in 2022, we were talking about 30,000 euros for three charging points if you wanted to install them. And those weren't super DC chargers, we were talking about a normal truck connection, which was due to the old infrastructure, the electrical system that was there, the upgrades in the direction of smart meters and so on, as well as of course the corresponding prerequisites

on site. And where we said: okay, for our third of it I can charge publicly nearby for a while. I just have to take the – let's call it – inconvenient route and sometimes go out in bad weather, maybe to top up the car. But that works. So in that sense: e-mobility can also work if you want it to, if you make certain compromises. Of course it would be more relaxed if I could just plug it in at home and it works. Of course it would be ideal if I could use my battery storage from the PV system that

we actually don't have either, because – like I said – three-party house, to charge during the day and then give the energy back to my car at night. None of that works that way, but e-mobility itself can still function if you're willing to make certain compromises. And what we're also seeing: development is increasingly going in that direction. Renewable energies are being pushed more. Battery storage will come in large quantities to cushion it. E-mobility keeps coming in more because it's simply also cheaper over the total cost of ownership

so the costs over the lifetime are cheaper. And when you feel that in your wallet and realize it and understand it, there's really no way around it. Makes sense. And you also have a view of the whole market. What are the biggest hurdles you see preventing e-mobility from achieving possible scale effects that we find exciting, or really experiencing that exponential factor again? Are we actually already at 2025 – is this now the trigger year where there's really this hockey stick? I don't think so,

unfortunately. The problem is that you have old structures there too, to pick up on that topic. So especially the old OEMs, who are forced to meet their CO2 fleet values, but who still feel comfortable in their old role, because they make their margins with the combustion engine industry, but really should switch. So you already have these two steps, two paths that are diverging. And you have to bring them together, which is ultra-difficult, also for the employees who are on site in the companies. I can

completely understand that, but the step has to be taken. Then at EU level, again, targets, CO2 fleet targets, are regulated back somewhat. They get pushed back again. Alternatives are brought in. So you can't really blame the industry for that, because I think – and all the conversations also showed me this outside the microphone – the industry is ready to invest. The industry is ready to switch. The industry is ready to go in the direction of e-mobility and renewable energies. The only thing that

they need – and that's actually not much if we break it down – is a stable framework that says: We take this topic seriously. We will pursue this. And we won't deviate from it over the next ten, fifteen years, because we're talking about billions of euros that have to be invested in the whole periphery. Whether it's now automobile plants, whether it's the corresponding charging infrastructure – all the things that play into this. It's about real money, and a company wants to make money at the end of the day.

They have to at least break even, preferably make a profit. Of course. And to achieve that, you have to of course ask: Does it pay off? If I put in one euro upfront, does at least 1.50 euros come out the back in ten years at the end of the day. And that is of course on completely different levels then ultimately. But as long as this framework is missing and there's the feeling that, well, next year maybe you could switch a bit to the friendlier combustion engine apparently, or you go in the direction of hydrogen, or you

make vehicles powered by fairy dust – to exaggerate a bit. As long as this direction is missing, a company isn't really ready to invest overly much money there. And I think that's a really big crux, which leads to the supply of vehicles only moving in one segment where margins are made accordingly: luxury, premium. Which then has the consequence that in the entry segment there isn't as much supply, so affordable mobility. And you need that to

reach the masses. There are only limited buyers for premium luxury vehicles. Not everyone wants or can afford vehicles around 100,000 euros, and I always think to myself: who needs those? We need cheap vehicles. Things have already moved here in 2025. 2026, 2027 will bring more from the European OEMs. I'm convinced of that. And I think then comes the tipping point where we can say: okay, now it's going into the masses. The used car market is developing

also more slowly than expected, because – oh wonder – electric cars actually maintain their battery capacity longer. It doesn't get used up so quickly. So you have various different points that you need to consider with all of this. Overall, though, I would say we are seeing positive development. It just takes longer than people thought. But to be fair, if you think about the timeframe for combustion engines, how long it took before they reached this mass market, electric mobility is still relatively young compared to that. And we see the development and

what we see here especially – and that's what's exciting –: countries outside Germany, let's just take Scandinavia, which is always seen as the pioneer country, show that electric mobility can also work on a mass scale. You just have to align yourself accordingly. Yes, keyword China. That's where I wanted to go. I think you also have a newsletter or in any case work intensively with the country. How did that come about? And what exactly do you do there? Right. So the China topic is of course interesting because

you can show there: okay, we're focusing on electric mobility. To be fair, you have to say that they already understood, before 2010 actually, in the area of combustion engines and diesel vehicles we can't achieve anything, because Europe, especially Germany, with its OEMs has locked that up. We can't compete there. So we're clearly focusing on electric mobility – electric vehicles, but also electric cars with range extenders, so the reversed plug-in hybrid concept. We have an electric motor that is supported by a combustion engine, not like the plug-in combustion vehicle that is supported by an electric motor, but

that way gets higher electric ranges in the range extender variant. And they focused on that, subsidized it accordingly, still subsidize it, created a variety of brands that bring their own models to the road. Of course, things are sorting themselves out now too, because a country can only support a certain number of brands. That happens through competition. It's also increasingly becoming price wars, which, however, are bringing down those costs we mentioned earlier from the premium luxury segment further and further

down. And then vehicles sometimes come on the road for 7,000–8,000 euros converted. And what's exciting now is that China is also coming to Europe, because the market there is only limited for them. And then you expand the markets. Since the entry doors in the USA are currently a bit more difficult or closed off, you come to Europe and look around there. That's why it's so exciting for me to deal with these brands.

I also already had the opportunity to be in China on site twice, each time for a week, to see it myself. At factories. Exactly. So I was at the factories, talked with the OEMs, at the development departments, where you simply see: okay, software-wise too they're a few levels further ahead on different points. The topic of karaoke in the car – I still don't quite understand it, but it has its place there. But they had to

also learn that you don't necessarily need that in Europe. So China really learns a lot from us there too. But also from a production standpoint: I've already been at German or European OEMs in manufacturing – the difference isn't always that huge. People work there too. Maybe a bit more software technology is used, but at the end of the day they're cooking with water too. The only thing they do differently: they cook it more consistently. So they have their plan.

They execute it. It gets done. And where we talk about the 35-hour week or 4-day week, they work seven days a week. Then you only have to do a bit of math and you know: okay, they actually get more done in the seven-day week than we do. That adds up or multiplies over the course of the year. And then you also know why the progress is coming – setting aside the sheer manpower they have on site there. I don't think we're doing that much wrong. I simply think they're doing a lot more right, just through volume. And that's really exciting. And that's why we also look at it on our portal, on the one hand with its own China section. I also brought the newsletter into it, which you mentioned. It goes out one, two times a week, at the latest every two weeks, where we then take up the topic of electric mobility from China for Europe or from Europe for

China, because I have a lot of English-speaking readers under it who had a hard time dealing with our broad newsletter because it's only in German. And then I said: okay, then I'll go into that niche and talk to experts there. And the target audience there is not necessarily the end customer driving the vehicle, but it also includes development departments from German-European OEMs. But there are also brands from China,

which are coming to Europe, where you simply see: okay, you reach a completely different target audience there, which is exciting for me again because those are potential customers for me or for our portal, but also guests for our podcast. And: can we learn anything from China so that German automotive industry can hold its own? I think what's already being learned – and VW is a good example of that – is that you don't have to do everything yourself anymore. So VW in the sense of

that you no longer have to do everything yourself. So VW in the sense that you can also work with others. For example, battery production: you don't have to do absolutely everything in-house. You can partner with specialists. That's something I think German OEMs are gradually learning. China has been doing that for a while now – they're open to collaboration, to partnerships, to working with suppliers and tech companies. That's actually a big difference compared to the traditional vertical integration we've seen in German automotive. But I believe that's changing now too.

Software. We all know the Cariad topic, where they developed it internally. And they're certainly doing great work, still. So I don't want to criticise that at all, but I think the challenge is simply getting out of that old structure they come from. They've always thought hardware-first, so always the basis first, the vehicle platform. China thinks software-first. For them, the hardware is just the device. It's like your smartphone that you have in front of you. You can swap that out. The software,

that's on it can continuously develop. And this way of thinking seems to be starting to arrive here with European OEMs too. But it's difficult to adapt that to the market because – I know it from my own experience – if I've always done my processes in a company the way I've done them for the last ten years, then I'll keep doing them that way. If someone comes along and tells me: why don't you do that differently, that would make sense. But the market shows

you that. And if it knocks on your door five times and says: why don't you do that differently, or else maybe your vehicles won't sell anymore or your processes won't work – then you do think about it. And I think that's just what happens.

What you can take away, or what I would take away, is simply this consequence of saying: okay, we're going to tackle a topic now and implement it, and then we don't deviate left or right again, but we just go consistently down this path, the way China did it now. And then I think that can lead to the goal, because that's the focus we have in everyday life too. I mean, you know that too, I think, Claudio: when you concentrate on one piece of work and you

get into your flow – let's call it that – and your focus is only on the goal, you'll have achieved a different result by the end of the day than if you'd taken a call here, answered an email there and debated back and forth. Exactly right. So just set that direction, really think through the path well, make a plan and then actually execute and do it. Yes, no, I'm completely with you. And other regions that interest you

or that you're following specifically – so in the German-speaking region that includes the usual suspects, DACH and so on – and what other regions are you pursuing with more intensity than others? Well, I think we're already following Europe quite well, because that's where the Stellantis group is located, for example, with Italy, Spain, France, where they have their brands. Volkswagen is also broadly positioned. They're not just in Germany either, but SEAT in Spain, Škoda in the Czech Republic. So you're automatically already active somewhere globally

of course. Naturally we're also looking over at the USA, where you have Tesla especially as a flagship. The brand itself – people have mixed opinions about the person behind it, and I'm in a different camp now too – but I think you have to separate those things to some extent. And it seems to be emerging that such a separation will probably happen at some point, because otherwise it just can't work. Elon Musk has done an incredible service in pushing electric mobility forward, in really putting weight behind it. But also there: the brand is currently living more off its old reputation than off what's new and developing, especially when we look at it at the model level. They do technically do an enormous amount right with software, and also on price-to-performance ratio. But that's being overtaken now if you look at the market. And there are exciting start-ups right now, especially in Silicon Valley – Rivian for example, which hasn't just made their pickup trucks or electric SUVs, but also corresponding vans with Amazon, which you don't really

see here in Munich – because I'm already driving around mentally right now – sees. I was able to look in at Amazon back then when they were introduced, and I've already driven around in them. So you see, a lot is already happening in incredibly different areas, and especially the topic apart from passenger cars – so commercial vehicles, electric trucks and so on – where you see: okay, there's a business case for it, it actually pays off, where forwarding companies are now ready to switch over because it simply works. And there's Tobias Wagner, AKA Electro Trucker, who reports on that from his everyday life and brings people along. I find that incredibly exciting. And then I can also learn from people like that and I'm lucky that I know Tobi and can talk to him when something interests me. And it's just nice to see that e-mobility is not just the luxury-segment passenger car, but we're at the entry level. We can also do mid-range. But we can also make large heavy trucks that take goods from the North Sea down to Bavaria or vice versa. And he's engaged with,

since we're on the topic, ships and aeroplanes. And how do you see the feasibility of e-mobility in these two segments? I think that'll be a tough one. So aeroplanes: it works for single-seater or two-seater operation. I had someone as a guest on the podcast recently for that. For the large, heavy aeroplanes, the ones we're thinking about now – long-haul aircraft or ships – I don't think that's coming. The topic of green hydrogen will probably play a bigger role there. That's my assumption, or

Das finde ich unheimlich spannend. Und dann kann ich auch von solchen Menschen lernen und habe auch das Glück, dass ich Tobi kenne und mit ihm sprechen kann, wenn mich da was interessiert. Und das macht einfach auch Freude zu sehen, dass E-Mobilität halt eben nicht nur das Pkw im Luxussegment ist, sondern wir sind im Einstieg unterwegs. Wir können auch Mittelklasse. Wir können aber auch große schwere Trucks machen, die halt die Ware von der Nordsee nach Bayern runterbringen oder vice versa. Und er beschäftigt sich

I find that incredibly exciting. And then I can also learn from people like that and I have the luck that I know Tobi and can talk to him when something interests me. And it's simply a pleasure to see that e-mobility is not just the luxury-segment passenger car, but we're getting into the entry level. We can also do mid-range. But we can also make large heavy trucks that bring goods from the North Sea down to Bavaria or vice versa. And he's engaged with

also e-fuels, if they are produced sustainably, can make sense there because you have completely different options – especially the weight issue, and then again the energy storage and the issue of recharging such batteries. That's already a challenge with trucks. If we think about that for ships now – I think you always have to differentiate there too, what kind of ship we're talking about. Is it a small ship's cutter that drives around somewhere in Hamburg harbor, or one that does its round trips here on the Spree during the day,

where you only need limited range – I could quite imagine that being purely electric. Aida, for example, as a cruise ship: we'll probably see that rather with hydrogen first, where I actually spoke with Freudenberg years ago – 2018, I think – about this. They're based here in the Weinheim area and were already doing development for it back then and also announced it. I'd rather not put the year in my mouth now because I'm not entirely sure if it's still current,

but to put the first hydrogen ship on the route in the foreseeable future or with their support. I think something will happen there because these CO2 fleet targets don't just apply to the OEMs. Other manufacturers have to implement them too. Ship fleets have to do it. Fleet operators then have to implement it, so to speak. So they're also forced to look for green, sustainable alternatives. And in that sense, there will be developments. Battery-powered – currently not yet. But that will also

definitely change over the course of years, decades, as battery technology continues to develop. In terms of innovation: what are topics that perhaps we don't have on the radar so much in the broader masses, that you're following, that you find exciting, that will come faster sooner rather than later? Well, I think what's a topic that's probably already becoming more well-known is solid-state batteries – in the battery. That means, at the same size you're more energy-efficient and have more energy at the same physical

space, which ultimately means: my car has more range and can be charged faster. That's also partly dependent on the cell chemistry being used. There's constant development happening there. But it won't come faster than people think in the broad masses either, because they'll start with luxury vehicles again and then work their way down accordingly. I think the topic of autonomous driving, which at first has less to do with e-mobility in itself, if you look at it that way – but then when

you look at it again: we have a huge battery in there that can power cameras, lidar, sensors and so on – that also goes hand in hand: e-mobility and autonomous driving, where you already see all sorts of developments. So even here in the Heilbronn area, there are already test vehicles on the road with small buses that drive from the Schwarz Group's headquarters to the nearby train station and back to transport employees. Cool. And where you notice: okay, there are advances. And ultimately, even though

I say: I believe this autonomous driving will change even much more than pure propulsion, because we're only talking about a drivetrain change. But autonomous driving will be a mobility transformation, where we think about mobility itself completely differently, which I find incredibly exciting. But it's also a heavily regulated topic, of course, ultimately. I mean, at least I can say from my own experience: I don't like giving up control, to put it openly. That's the case for me with driving too.

I already struggle with driver assistance systems where they say you can take your hands off the steering wheel and it'll do it for you. That may be true, but it still feels completely weird to me. But I shouldn't go by myself, and especially not by the generations that are coming after, who might not know it any other way. And if it works – you're not doing anything different in a bus. You're giving the bus driver control when you're sitting in it, or the train driver.

Why shouldn't it work with a system? I also think it will work quite well once you reach the broad masses with these vehicles. But as long as you have this mix of autonomous vehicles and self-controlled ones, it's always a kind of communication and reaction to each other. Yes. And finally: you're not employed anymore, but an entrepreneur. So what was that like day to day? How do you approach it? What's changed? How do

you deal with it? My days are longer. So to sum it up briefly: I earn less money, I work longer, but I just feel better. I'm happier. I have the feeling that with my work – at least on a very small scale – and that's why I do it – I can do some good. So it's really out of conviction. Of course I want to earn money. Of course I want to be able to afford things in life. That's why I do it. But if it were only about money, then I could have

stayed in my management job and had less work, more regular working hours and still more money in the account. But that wouldn't fulfill me. And entrepreneurial life is of course an up and down – I have to say that quite clearly. You'd know that yourself. You don't always know what ends up in your account at the end of the day. And I'm rather someone who, before I start saving elsewhere – be it

With my authors, the service providers we use – before I cut anything there, I think to myself: Maybe I can still save another euro from my own pocket. I'm doing okay, I don't want to complain. But it's just a different kind of struggle. But at the end of the day, I think to myself, when I hopefully have a child or children with my wife, at least I'll have the feeling that within the scope where I could move things in a positive direction

in this world, I've done something. And that fills me with pride. That's also the theme I could take away from this. I notice I'm getting a bit emotional right now. But what really drives me from deep conviction: I think you can always say, do it better, tell others what to do and say, okay, you have to change this, you have to adapt that – so always this "you" and "must" – instead of saying: I can. And

I can change that in a small way for myself, and maybe through that I can trigger a change in someone else. And many individual "I"s also make up a big "we". Then change can come. E-mobility alone won't make the world better. Climate change won't be stopped just because we drive electric cars. But e-mobility, renewable energies, dynamic electricity rates that reward you in your wallet because you use green energy, fleet operators who understand that when they operate more sustainably – not just more sustainably with the vehicle on the road, but

also more sustainably for their own wallet – then that's also an upward spiral that keeps building on itself. And I believe that when we reach that critical point, a lot can move here, and hopefully we've slowed down the climate change issue quite a bit, hopefully stopped it, and ideally through research in this field we can also reverse it. And that would be nice. So if I get to experience that, it would make me happy. At least I'd wish it for the generations that come after us. Yes, I'm

Completely agree. Do you have one last message for the listeners, or how can people find you? Feel free to visit elektroauto-news.net. I think you can find everything from there. From our editors who are doing a really great job – without my team, the portal wouldn't be where it is today, because I couldn't do it alone. From my perspective, at least it feels that way, outwardly I'm doing the least in the form of

news articles or background reports. A really great team does that for me now, and I'm very grateful for it. I try to do my part behind the scenes or through conversations with you and other founders on my podcast, I put out the newsletter, and I'm just happy when you stop by. And then all that's left for me is to say thank you for listening and for letting me share my thoughts here. Thank you. Thank you, Sebastian. See you soon. See you soon. That brings us to the end of another episode of Smart Charge by RiDERgy. Here are once more

the key insights: From controlling or procurement manager to e-mobility evangelist – in 2016, Sebastian took over the then largely unnoticed portal Elektroauto-News as a side project because he wanted to bring his expertise from industrial purchasing, controlling and business administration into e-mobility. An Angela Merkel statement on electric mobility provided the first traffic boost. His tireless building of an author team and the expansion to daily news updates have brought the portal to over 1.2 million unique visitors and a LinkedIn top voice position. Why smart charging and bidirectional charging are still waiting: technically, vehicles, charging points and even household meters are up to the standard

But rules and tariffs are slowing down dynamic electricity rates: connection regulations and the lack of widespread smart meter rollouts mean that many applications are still not permitted politically or are not economically affordable. According to Sebastian's experience, it will unfortunately take years before a stable, Europe-wide, uniform legal framework is in place. What breakthroughs are on the horizon? Sebastian sees solid-state batteries as the next game changer – higher energy densities and faster charging times will become possible. At the same time, autonomous driving in logistics, for example electric trucks, will pick up speed and new sector coupling models will emerge, such as PV storage-to-home network linkages. He also senses that China's billion-dollar market is now

rolling into Europe with China EV Pulse, and he believes that the cheapest, software-driven models from there will soon flank us here as well. If this summary has been valuable to you, subscribe to Smart Charge by RiDERgy, leave us a review and write to us on LinkedIn about which insights you'd like to explore next. Visit Sebastian and his team at Elektroauto-News for news and in-depth analysis. Thank you for listening. Stay electric and see you in the next episode.

Episode notes

In dieser Folge begrüßt Claudio Sebastian Henßler, den Kopf hinter Elektroauto-News.net - Deutschlands großes E-Mobility-Portal mit über einer Million Unique Visitors pro Monat. Sebastian schildert seinen ungewöhnlichen Karriereweg, erklärt, wie sein Team täglich Nachrichten produziert und welchen Einfluss China-Trends auf den europäischen Markt haben. Außerdem diskutieren wir, warum Smart-Laden und Bidirektionalität langsamer kommen als erwartet, welche technologischen Durchbrüche bei Batterie und Autonomie wirklich relevant sind und wie Medien die Transformation begleiten.