Alpitronic is set to reduce production of its charging stations due to declining demand, according to CEO and co-founder Philipp Senoner. While an official statement has not been released, the adjustment is considered certain based on Senoner’s remarks to the German publication WirtschaftsWoche.
Senoner revealed that the company had anticipated revenue growth of around 80 percent for 2024, mirroring previous years’ performance. However, actual growth is now expected to be significantly lower, with Senoner projecting an increase of “ten to 20 percent” for 2024. He described the first half of the year as “very strong” but noted that production in the second half would continue “at a stable, lower level, which we also see for 2025.”
Ionity to Deploy Alpitronic Charging Stations for Expanded Network Coverage
Rumors in the industry suggest a growing stockpile of hyperchargers, with customers having secured large quantities through framework agreements but not fully utilizing them. Some customers have also stockpiled already purchased hyperchargers that remain uninstalled, leading to reduced orders for new products. Senoner attributed this to “sluggish sales of electric cars.”
In Germany, the expansion of the fast-charging network at motorway service stations is stalled pending a verdict in the legal dispute between Fastned and Tesla against the federal government’s Autobahn GmbH. The proceedings are expected to conclude by spring 2025, delaying new fast chargers at motorway service stations. Nonetheless, construction of charging stations and parks near motorways will proceed, with more locations from the German network becoming operational.
In 2023, Alpitronic held a market share of over 50 percent for fast chargers in some countries and 30 percent across Europe. However, Senoner noted increasing “greater competition” and pressure on sales prices, asserting that “the entire ecosystem around electric charging must become cheaper.” Despite these challenges, he remains optimistic, targeting a turnover of just over one billion euros in 2024, up from just under the billion euro mark in 2023.