Swift Charge: Powering the Road to a Greener Future

As the world races to tackle climate change head-on, we sat down to chat with Zhongyi Quan, Founder and CEO of Swift Charge, an Alberta-based startup making a mark in the electric vehicle (EV) charging world. Quan shared insights on Swift Charge’s journey, his experience in accelerator programs, the perks of being in Alberta, and his big dreams for how the startup can boost the rate of EV adoption.

Backed by 500 Global, Swift Charge is an Alberta-based startup committed to helping tackle climate change through electric vehicle (EV) charging. “Electrification is one of the main approaches in reaching a carbon neutral future, so being able to support more EV adoption and supporting traveling [long distances] with EVs is one of the goals we want to achieve.” Quan said.

Roland Osborne, a Principal at 500 Global who’s worked closely with Quan, and the Swift Charge team, said “To tackle sustainable technology, we need both hardware AND software solutions. While software will be important in improving the EV experience (and Swift Charge is working here as well), we fundamentally need additional charging infrastructure EV adoption to fully take hold.” 

“Swift Charge stands out in that they’re pragmatically tackling some of the harder problems in the space; economically expanding EV infrastructure with a combination software, off-the-shelf solutions, and some revolutionary charging tech of their own. Swift Charge has figured out a way to significantly lower the cost of this buildout with a proprietary fast-charging technology that we believe will enable greater EV ownership.” Osborne said.

Zhongyi Quan’s journey from academia to entrepreneurship began with a focus on power systems and power engineering during his PhD at the University of Alberta. ”I’ve seen problems with today’s EV charging solutions in terms of their impact on power grid systems and the cost of installation.” His motivation to address these issues led to the birth of Swift Charge.

Swift Charge addresses the challenge of insufficient EV charging stations which hinders widespread adoption. Quan elaborated on the issue, stating, “EV chargers have to be installed at properties, and property owners are not willing to spend money on building the infrastructure because it’s expensive, time-consuming, and they don’t have the expertise.” This is where Swift Charge comes in. The startup provides turnkey solutions using proprietary technology, reducing costs by over 70% for its clients.

Quan’s vision for the future of Swift Charge is to become the world’s largest charging network. “Our vision is to be the network support for EV drivers of the world.” To help provide a strong foundation for his startup, Quan participated in Batch 2 of the Alberta Accelerator by 500 Global. Recounting his time in the program, Quan emphasized the role of mentors in shaping Swift Charge’s trajectory, calling it a pivotal learning experience. “[The mentors] helped me especially understand how to find our ideal customer, and also how to scale within this niche. . . .we continue to use what we learned even to this day”.

The Alberta Accelerator by 500 Global is a 12-week program designed to support the growing tech ecosystem in Alberta, leveraging 500 Global’s startup playbook and connecting startups to a global network of mentors and experts. It is part of the Scaleup and Growth Accelerator Program, led by Alberta Innovates with funding from the Ministry of Technology and Innovation, Edmonton Unlimited, and Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan).

After graduating from the Alberta program, the Swift Charge team received funding from 500 Global with acceptance into the Flagship Growth Accelerator Program (GAP). “GAP is in many ways actually similar to the Alberta program in terms of the curriculum, but the main difference for us was the investment side”. Quan noted that he was grateful for the opportunity to cultivate relationships with not only Silicon Valley VCs, but with VCs from Japan, and other areas of the world. His experience in GAP also included hearing directly from portfolio companies who have raised Series A and upwards, on their learnings and advice for early-stage startups.

With its operations in Alberta, a province traditionally associated with oil and gas, Quan highlighted that there are many perks of being an Alberta-based startup due to the province’s commitment to supporting its tech ecosystem. “We have very good universities in Alberta, and [we get] support from them as well in terms of lab space and hiring interns from the universities.”

Since its inception in 2020, Swift Charge has been building a charging network with a focus on hotels and resorts currently servicing 40 locations with another 20 on the horizon across Canada. “If we are able to execute those projects successfully, we will soon become the largest hospitality charging network in Canada.” Quan shared that the network he is currently building is not just a regular network, but something that will support people in travelling from coast to coast with efficiency and convenience in mind. “[Drivers] can charge their car while having a coffee or lunch so [they] can actually save time when using our charging stations.”

The adoption of electric vehicles reduces our carbon footprint, serving as a practical solution to combating climate change. According to the Global EV Outlook 2023 report by the International Energy Agency, the electric car market is seeing a growth in sales year over year with “a total of 14% of all new cars sold [being] electric in 2022, up from around 9% in 2021 and less than 5% in 2020”. With the increase in EVs hitting the streets, it’s imperative that the right infrastructure is in place. “[At Swift Charge], we are building the infrastructure needed to support EV adoption. . . .We want to do so with the minimum investment so that we can support 100% EV adoption in the next 30 to 50 years even.” Quan said. Swift Charge’s story is a testament to the role innovative solutions can play in the road to a greener future.