“Sandstorms and lots of dust in the air”

Benjamin Müller

2 May 2025 - 14:35

1 min

Charging in Saudi Arabia - Yes, it is possible!: Wulf Schlachter’s topic on 27 May.

DXBe

In the run-up to the ChargeTec Conference, we asked Wulf Schlachter, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, DXBe Management, three questions. The 5th edition of this international event will take place on 27 and 28 May 2025 in Munich. Wulf Schlachter is one of its speakers.

Schlachter started his career in 1996 as an IT consultant in the Web 1.x-based "Media & Telco" scene in Germany. During this time, he delivered projects for some of the most renowned clients and is considered one of the Media & Telco pioneers worldwide.

In 2007, he founded DXBe Management in Hamburg and Dubai - a strategy and management consulting company focused on pure digital business.

Schlachter is one of the IoT and eMobility pioneers in Europe, holding several advisory and board memberships - including roles as Startup CTO of IONITY, management advisor to Digital Charging Solutions (ChargeNow), Atlante, Electromin, FlexEcharge, Ventus Technologies … as well as moderator and initiator of several electric vehicle and EV charging events worldwide.

He works with EV charging infrastructure customers across the globe - from major OEMs, CPOs, EMPs, utilities, and fleet management providers to eTruck, eFerry, and eVTOL sectors.

ADT: What were the biggest engineering or logistical obstacles when deploying infrastructure in extreme environmental conditions?

Schlachter: One of the biggest obstacles is similar to Europe: a "missing grid" - even when there is potentially enough wind and sun available, there is only one TSO/DSO in the market.

How can lessons from Saudi Arabia be transferred to other geographies with harsh climates?

I would say it is similar to Norway, but the other way around - batteries must be cooled down instead of heated up, same with electric vehicles and charging hardware. Temperatures above 50°C in May last year, combined with sandstorms and lots of dust in the air, also blocked the filters (e.g. in EV chargers) and forced them to reduce charging speed.

What role does government support play in enabling charging infrastructure in emerging EV markets?

A massive one - besides private initiatives, the largest Saudi state fund (PIF) supports an initiative called "Saudi2030" aimed at becoming a green and sustainable country. They are working with industry chapters on EV and battery plants and production.