Reinventing the grid: how new EV charging tech is revolutionising Britain’s electricity network

Management

Sponsored by Hypervolt

Flavian Alexandru, Co-Founder and CEO, Hypervolt

Flavian Alexandru, Co-Founder and CEO of Hypervolt, believes the next great British industrial story won’t be built in factories alone – it will be powered by data, design and a radically smarter grid.

“We think of EV charging as a hardware problem,” he says. “But the real innovation happens in software – in how we connect homes, vehicles and the energy ecosystem into something that works for everyone.”

That philosophy has turned Hypervolt, a UK-based start-up founded in 2021, into one of the country’s most admired home-charging brands. Beyond making elegant, affordable chargers, Alexandru’s team is building an infrastructure of intelligence, where every device contributes to a cleaner, more efficient national grid.

The power behind the plug

At the core of Hypervolt’s technology sits Ultragrid, the company’s digital platform that Alexandru describes as “a smart meter times a million”. Each installed Hypervolt charger reports back on more than 100,000 data events daily, offering unparalleled visibility into energy use and grid demand.

This live data allows Hypervolt’s systems to co-ordinate energy use automatically, charging cars when electricity is cheapest and greenest, and eventually returning power to the grid when it’s needed most.

“Vehicle-to-grid technology is the real game-changer,” Alexandru explains. “When millions of cars are sitting parked, that’s untapped energy storage. Imagine if we could use that to stabilise the grid instead of firing up gas turbines. That’s the kind of future we’re working toward.”

Engineering at scale – and for longevity

Scaling from a great idea to a mass-produced, household-ready product is one of the hardest challenges in technology. Alexandru knows this well. “When you build 100 of something, the approach is completely different to when you build 100,000,” he says.

Every Hypervolt charger is engineered for durability in British weather and designed to still look good after years of rain, frost and sunlight. “It’s about those tiny details,” he says. “Choosing the right plastic compound, the right tooling, the right materials so that it performs and lasts. You only learn that by doing.”

Yet this engineering precision doesn’t come at the expense of aesthetics. Hypervolt’s minimalist, curved designs – available in polished finishes – are as much about pride of ownership as performance. “People care about what’s on their homes,” Alexandru says. “We’ve proven that smart technology can also be beautiful technology.”

The software soul of hardware

For Alexandru, software is where Hypervolt truly differentiates. “The magic isn’t in the charger; it’s in what the charger can do,” he says.

Hypervolt’s software platform powers predictive maintenance, seamless firmware updates and instant customer support – all without ongoing subscription fees. “If we put a box in your home, we have to look after it for years without asking for more,” he notes. “That discipline forces us to engineer smarter, more efficient systems from the start.”

To Alexandru, software is the invisible thread linking every Hypervolt customer. “The difference between average and excellent software can be a hundredfold,” he says. “It’s a creative discipline – like poetry or design – and when done right, it changes the entire experience.”

Building Britain’s energy independence

The implications of that software-led infrastructure go far beyond convenience. Alexandru believes the EV revolution can unlock a new era of energy sovereignty for the UK.

“We’re at the next inflection point,” he says. “The transition to electric vehicles and smart grids isn’t just environmental – it’s geopolitical. It’s about how we control our own energy future.”

He envisions a future where households are active participants in the grid, not passive consumers. With vehicle-to-grid technology, homes will be able to trade electricity dynamically, lowering costs and generating new income streams. “A family in a typical four-bed house could save or earn thousands over a few years,” he says. “That’s life-changing.”

The UK, Alexandru adds, is well placed to lead. “Our grid is one of the most advanced in the world in terms of flexibility and digital infrastructure. We already have partnerships with Octopus Energy, OVO, EDF and National Grid – it’s an ecosystem working together to modernise the entire system.”

Playing the long game

What sets Hypervolt apart is its patience. Alexandru rejects the short-term mindset that often dominates start-ups. “We’re not here for a quick exit,” he says. “If we’re serious about being part of the UK’s energy revolution, we need to think in decades, not quarters.”

That long-term view shapes everything from the company’s product roadmap to its customer service philosophy. “Our work doesn’t end when the charger is installed – it begins there,” he says. “For us, success means reliability, trust and lasting value.”

A vision for the next decade

Looking ahead, Hypervolt plans to expand beyond homes into offices, commercial sites and motorway infrastructure. “We want to remove range anxiety completely,” Alexandru says. “That means bringing the same level of intelligence and design to public charging that we’ve brought to domestic systems.”

He’s equally bullish about the global opportunity. “We’re growing fast in the UK, but our ambition is global,” he says. “Energy transformation is universal – and Britain can lead the way through innovation, not just regulation.”

Still, Alexandru remains grounded in the human side of progress. “Technology doesn’t change the world overnight,” he reflects. “But if we keep improving the details – reliability, usability, affordability – we’ll wake up one day to find the future has quietly arrived.”

See how Hypervolt is driving the UK’s smarter energy future