HELIOX BV

Their core work

Heliox is a Dutch SME that designs and manufactures fast charging systems for electric vehicles, with a strong focus on heavy-duty applications like buses, trucks, and vans used in urban transport and city distribution. They develop conductive charging infrastructure including power conversion hardware, energy management systems, and smart charging solutions. Their work spans from charger hardware (using wide-band-gap semiconductors) to fleet-level charging management strategies and total cost of ownership optimization for electric fleets.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

Heliox entered H2020 in 2014 with a tightly focused mission: proving conductive fast charging for electric buses through their CONCEPT project (first as a Phase 1 feasibility study, then scaled up with Phase 2 funding of nearly €1.5M). From 2017 onward, their scope broadened significantly — they moved into power electronics R&D (wide-band-gap semiconductors), grid-integrated energy management (microgrids, local storage), and even applied their power conversion expertise to shipbuilding. Their trajectory shows a clear evolution from a single-product charging company to a broader power electronics and energy systems integrator.

Heliox is expanding from vehicle charger hardware into full energy ecosystem solutions — grid integration, microgrids, and secure power management — positioning them for the next wave of transport electrification infrastructure.

How they like to work

Heliox primarily operates as a participant (6 of 8 projects), contributing specialized charging and power electronics expertise to larger consortia. Their two coordinator roles were both the CONCEPT project (SME Instrument Phase 1 and Phase 2), which is typical for SMEs proving a core product before joining bigger partnerships. With 169 unique partners across 21 countries, they are well-networked and comfortable working in large multi-partner consortia like ECSEL projects (AutoDrive, HiPERFORM, PROGRESSUS).

Heliox has built a broad European network of 169 unique consortium partners spanning 21 countries, largely through participation in large-scale ECSEL and Innovation Action projects. Their partnerships bridge the automotive, electronics, maritime, and energy sectors.

What sets them apart

Heliox occupies a rare position as an SME with deep, production-grade expertise in high-power fast charging for heavy-duty electric vehicles — a segment where most competitors are either large incumbents or startups without EU R&D track records. Their ability to bridge vehicle-side power electronics (drivetrains, WBG semiconductors) with grid-side energy management (microgrids, smart charging) makes them a valuable integrator for electrification projects. Their maritime crossover (NAVAIS) also demonstrates versatility that few EV charging companies can match.

Highlights from their portfolio

• CONCEPT
  Their flagship project — successfully progressed from SME Instrument Phase 1 (€50K feasibility) to Phase 2 (€1.48M scale-up), proving their conductive fast charging system for electric buses in public transport.
• ASSURED
  Major 5-year project on fast and smart charging for full-size urban heavy-duty applications (buses, trucks, vans), directly aligned with their core commercial offering.
• PROGRESSUS
  Their most recent and technically ambitious project, combining power conversion, microgrids, blockchain-secured hardware, and next-generation sensor technologies — signals their strategic direction.