With over 15 years of experience in a wide variety of electrification projects, EV Europe can call itself an experienced supplier with systems proven in practice.

In these 15 years, a lot of knowledge has been gained in the field of machine, vehicle and vessel electrification and based on this, the systems are continuously improved.

The development of these systems is always technology-driven with the aim of making the world more sustainable by reducing co2 emissions.

In recent years, EV Europe has increasingly profiled itself as a partner to develop sub-modules for electrification together with a customer.

The systems are then determined, calculated and developed in consultation, after which a complete prototype is built or a test phase is carried out together. This is all with the ultimate aim of supplying the most well-prepared submodules possible that a customer can install himself in order to shorten the time to market by using EV Europe’s knowledge and experience.

Heijnsdijk built his first electric car about 15 years ago. ‘That was my sister’s Smart. The engine had broken down, so that was a good object to experiment with converting to electric propulsion. A false start: it couldn’t pass inspection at the RDW. I could do two things: stop, or first search the market for the best parts I could get, designed according to the latest technology. I then had all those parts certified. The RDW now did approve the Smart.’

In addition to his work at a horticultural automation company specialising in the development of electric trolleys for use in greenhouses, Heijnsdijk then started electrifying vintage cars. ‘A whole mountain! Renaults 4, 2CVs, a Dyane, a Honda ánd a DS.’

In 2018, Heijnsdijk’s one-man business merged with Schouten’s to form EV Europe.

Like Vincent, Peter Jan had started converting vintage cars for himself. “Then you start looking around a bit: where can you get the necessary stuff from? Then I soon ended up, via the internet, with Vincent. We got talking in a hotel once when we went to a potential project together. Soon the decision was made to join forces.”

‘We also get some crazy phone calls,’ Peter Jan says. ‘Someone called about his two-year-old BMW. Whether we wanted to convert it. But, said the man, it would have to be able to drive at least a thousand kilometres on a battery charge, because I like to push the limits of what is possible. Well, I replied, you shouldn’t come to us for that. What Tesla can’t do yet, we can’t do either.’