CEO Neil Mahapatra speaks at Optimal Charging event
March 24, 2026
Our CEO, Neil Mahapatra, gave the panel opening address and participated in a discussion on rural EV charging at Optimal Charging’s Leaders or Followers event in London.
Leading the conversation
Neil gave the opening address for the panel, setting out Zapgo’s mission to bring rapid and ultra-rapid charging to destination locations across the UK.
Bringing charging to areas that need it
He shared insights into our site identification process, building chargers where they’re truly needed, not just where it’s easy to build, and always at places where drivers want to spend time while they charge their vehicles.
Charging sites vs charging hubs
Discussing charging hubs, Neil explained that hubs (8 chargers or more at one site) aren’t right for every site, but the job of a Charge Point Operator like Zapgo is to tailor the site to the needs of local residents and visitors.
Distribution Network Operators (‘DNOs’)
On the panel, Neil addressed the urgent need to improve the efficiency of DNOs, a common challenge for Charge Point Operators as they build sites at destination locations often with limited pre-existing infrastructure.
Industry experts
Neil was joined on the panel by Jade Edwards, Head of Insights at zapmap, Ben Cattermole, Head of Transport Decarbonisation at National Grid, Alex Gilbert, Head of Energy & Electrification, at Places for London, and James Nutter, Lead Policy Manager Transport Strategy, at West Yorkshire Combined Authority.
Our team
The Zapgo team also took the opportunity to engage with industry stakeholders at our stand in the venue, showcasing our offering to drivers and landlords.
Proud sponsors
We’re proud to have sponsored the Optimal Charging: Leaders or Followers event and look forward to continuing our conversations with the industry experts we met.
