Cheaper, Faster & Smarter EV Charging: How Kwetta Raised US$10.5M to Connect Millions of Vehicles to the Grid

A Positive Climate

Nick chats with Mike Lazelle and Dr Rob Turner, co-founders of Kwetta, to discuss their groundbreaking approach to electrifying heavy vehicles.

Kwetta has just raised ~$17 million AUD in Series A funding from the likes of Blackbird and Virescent Ventures to address the “grid issue” for EV charging. And they’ve given us a podcast exclusive!

Their innovative chargers connect directly to the high-voltage grid, providing up to 10 times more power, cutting installation times by up to 70%, and avoiding costly grid upgrades.

We dive into:

• Why electrification is the key to near term emissions reduction
• Why the hardest part of electrification is no longer the vehicles or batteries - it’s getting power from the grid.
• How Kwetta’s technology solves grid bottlenecks while being a “good grid citizen.”
• How a small, world class team from Napier New Zealand (founded with CEO Dustin Murdock) is competing with global giants
• How much Canterbury Beer was consumed at Rob and Mike’s first meeting

(00:00) Introduction

(04:02) Meet Kwetta

(08:21) A Beer Fuelled Origin Story

(12:27) Kwetta's Breakthrough

(14:38) Case Study: Electrifying a Gas Station

(22:21) Manufacturing in Napier

(26:02) The China Threat

(30:35) Revenue Model and Market

(33:19) Vehicle To Grid

(38:04) Traction and Expansion PIans

(41:44) Uncomfortable Questions

Kwetta is about to announce their first sites in Australia so it's great timing to bring them on!

Find out more at: www.kwetta.com

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About the podcast

A Positive Climate is an uplifting podcast about tackling climate change. An entertaining look at the products, people and technologies making a real difference.

Hosted by Australian climate technology investors and experts Nick Zeltzer and Alex McIntosh. We cover it all on the show while keeping things optimistic and accessible: electric planes, waste eating maggots, plant-based meats, hydrogen made from beer, the solar revolution, the coolest new sustainable products and much much more.

The podcast charted in 2022, 2023 and 2024 as the top Australian made podcast in Apple’s Technology podcast charts.

Previous guests have included innovators and technologists from JET Charge, 5B, Amazon, Zoomo, V2Food, Vow, Sea Forest, Great Wrap, Infravision, Zero Co, Hysata, Sicona, OneSmallStep, Tenacious Ventures, CarsGuide, AMSL Aero, Nori, EnergyLab, MicroTau and many more.

Music by the late, great Nick Weaver

Production by our hero Mark Spencer from Here.Media