NaaS preps for international bow

NaaS Technology, one of China's growing EV charging service providers, has been exploring markets in the Middle East, Europe, and Southeast Asia.

"I believe we are much more global than any other players in the market and we will seize opportunities to go abroad," said Alex Wu, co-founder, president and CFO of NaaS, a subsidiary of NewLink, during an interview with Chinese media.

"According to data released by the Chinese government, our imports and exports to countries along the Belt and Road have increased by 15 or 16 percent in the first quarter," Wu said.

In 2022, NaaS' charging volume reached 2.75 billion kilowatt-hours, accounting for 20 percent of the national total. As of March 31, 2023, NaaS had connected 55,000 charging stations and 575,000 chargers.

"We combine our experiences with the local commercial environment so the Middle East can find its own way to transition in the future," Wu said. "Since the Middle East has relied on gas for years, EV penetration rate is still relatively low, whereas other countries have seized the opportunity to develop new ecosystems. Being exposed to this irreversible world trend, not only the government but also the people are keen to push for the transition.

"We can see a promising future in the Middle East," he said. "What we can provide matches what Middle Eastern governments demand. Their interest is to find an ecosystem service provider that can share best practices so they can leap forward to a more mature ecosystem."

NaaS demonstrated its automatic charging robot at the Power2Drive Europe in Munich from June 14 to 16, an act demonstrating it has entered the European market.

At the event, NaaS showcased the robot which is equipped with an array of sensors, and its fully digitized charging service platform and hardware.

Dada Auto, a wholly owned subsidiary of NaaS, has entered into an agreement to acquire 89.99 percent of issued and outstanding shares of Sinopower HK on June 12, a significant step in NaaS' business expansion.