Electric vehicle drivers were forced to play a game of "spot the hidden picture" every time they charged their vehicles. With information scattered across the Ministry of Environment, Korea Electric Power Corporation, and private operators, they couldn't even tell where the chargers were or whether they were currently available. Even after struggling to reach a charging station, they were often turned away by a broken device.
Launched in 2017, evWhere unified these fragmented maps. Anyone can access real-time charging station information without ads or membership registration. Since this service, which has become a must-have app for electric vehicle users, Tardis Technology has grown beyond providing information to designing the entire charging infrastructure.
Following the acquisition of the world's first OCPP 2.0.1 CSMS certification in 2023, and the consecutive wins of the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Award and the K-Digital Brand Award last year, we met with CEO Lee Yong-kwon, who has proven his technological prowess and marketability, to hear about the company's growth strategy and future vision.
From semiconductor expert to electric vehicle data innovator
This CEO was a specialist who oversaw the automotive electronics business at the semiconductor company Telechips. The decisive moment that gave him confidence in the business was when he personally drove electric vehicles like the Bolt EV and SM3.
"Back in 2016 and 2017, not only were there few charging stations, but information was fragmented across operators. I believed the most effective way to be eco-friendly was to drive an electric car, but the actual user experience was abysmal."
He hypothesized that "data will transform infrastructure." He predicted that "beyond hardware installation, the data platform that connects it will become the core of the market." After getting the idea to integrate charging station data from a junior in college, he began organizing the information himself on the web.
"The conviction that if I'm inconvenienced, others will be inconvenienced too was the driving force behind my development. Rather than seeking a profit model from users, my mission was to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles by transparently disclosing information."
Two "world firsts" and global technological leadership
Following the OCPP 1.6 security profile certification in 2021, Tardis Technology achieved OCPP 2.0.1 CSMS certification in 2023. OCPP is an international standard open communications protocol adopted by over 70 countries worldwide.
Key features added to OCPP 2.0.1 include Plug & Charge (PnC) and Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G). Plug & Charge (PnC) automatically processes authentication and payment simply by plugging the charger into the vehicle, eliminating the need for an app or card. V2G is a technology that sells power from electric vehicle batteries back to the grid. By supplying power to the vehicle during peak demand periods and recharging it during periods of low demand, electric vehicles can be used as "running energy storage devices."
What sets us apart from global competitors is our single-platform, integrated solution. Our proprietary charging control platform, "evCloud," allows for integrated management of existing TCP/IP-based, OCPP 1.6, and the latest OCPP 2.0.1 chargers. Combining this with big data from Eveware, Korea's first charging information service, we offer a "full-cycle solution" that optimizes both hardware and software.
Technological perfection achieved through vertical integration
Electric vehicle charging is a complex ecosystem that requires the organic integration of hardware, communication standards, service apps, and power grid operations. This strategy aims to prevent communication errors and data inconsistencies that arise when connecting products from different manufacturers, and to optimize platforms and chargers when standard technology updates occur.
While each business unit has an independent revenue model, they share data and create synergies. Eveware's collected user charging patterns and location-specific demand data provide insight into where and what chargers are needed. Based on this, Evecloud applies dynamic load balancing technology to adjust charging during peak power hours.
evCON produces smart chargers 100% optimized for platform requirements, and evPlug verifies hardware durability and platform stability through actual operations, providing feedback for technological advancement.
"We couldn't fully realize the future we envisioned with other companies' hardware. General-purpose chargers had limitations in implementing PnC, which identifies vehicle information and automatically connects to payment, or V2G, which resells electricity," he explained, explaining his decision to develop his own charger.
Open smart charger with financial security level
The "Open Smart Charger," jointly developed with KT Group affiliate Smartro in 2024, is a solution that enables instant payments via credit card or Apple Pay, without a membership card. The key feature is its secure design, which allows the charger's main board to directly process credit card information, rather than requiring an expensive, separate card reader.
"We meticulously optimized system resources to ensure that charging control logic and credit card encryption processing logic operate without conflict on a relatively lightweight real-time operating system. Collaborating with Smartro, we achieved financial-level security."
Existing RFID membership cards were vulnerable to security breaches due to the 16-digit number being easily copied. However, the open charger uses NFC technology, which incorporates financial standards for security, to prevent unauthorized use. Users also enjoy financial benefits such as real-time payment notifications, 24-hour loss reporting, and card company compensation in the event of unauthorized use.
This marks the first time in Korea that an electric vehicle charger has been certified and registered as a financial device by the Korea Credit Finance Association. Security protocols were incorporated from the hardware design stage, eliminating sensitive card information and virtually eliminating the possibility of data tampering during communication.
"It's a significant achievement that the charger's main controller, rather than a standard terminal attached to it, has received financial certification. This demonstrates that Tardis' embedded software technology has reached the level of the financial sector."
The National DR Platform, a Leading Climate Response Company
Tardis Technology received the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Award in 2025, acknowledging its innovative approach to climate change. With its evCloud-based national demand response (DR) platform, the company achieved energy savings of approximately 8,350 kWh in the first half of 2025, equivalent to a reduction of approximately 3.8 tons of CO2.
The core technology is dynamic load balancing (DLM). During peak hours, when building power usage spikes, charger output is automatically reduced. During nighttime hours, output is increased to optimize charging speed. This allows for the installation of more chargers without the need for additional power expansion projects. This prevents resource waste and maintains grid stability.
The low-power design is also noteworthy. Through embedded software optimization, TARDIS has reduced the charger's standby power to 3W, less than half the industry average (5-10W). Given the charger's 24/7 operation, this is a key element in climate response.
"We have our own infrastructure that provides one-stop service, from site excavation to installation, operation, and immediate after-sales service in the event of a malfunction. The stability of our evCloud platform, which monitors the status of tens of thousands of chargers in real time and proactively detects and responds to signs of failure, has been highly evaluated."
Tardis Technology has secured a contract for a global OEM collaboration project in the Middle East with global future vehicle software company Autocrypt, scheduled for late 2025. The Middle East is expanding its investment in the electric vehicle market by focusing on building smart cities like Neom City.
"The Middle East project goes beyond simply supplying chargers. It involves building a sophisticated system that combines security and infrastructure control technologies. It has the potential to become a reference for future smart city standards worldwide."
By collaborating with Autocrypt, we plan to integrate V2X (vehicle-to-everything) and AI security capabilities into our charging infrastructure, demonstrating a premium solution that meets the requirements of the most demanding global OEMs. Collaboration with global e-roaming platforms like Hubject is also underway.
Tardis Technology's revenue model is a vertically integrated structure that encompasses the entire charging lifecycle. Currently, the fastest-growing and most profitable segment is solution and platform subscriptions (evCloud/SaaS). The company provides a subscription-based CSMS to companies and local governments seeking to operate their own charging stations, charging maintenance fees.
Charger sales and installation (evCON) serve as a stable cash cow, driven by the mandatory installation of chargers in new buildings starting in 2024-2025. This also includes charging fee revenue generated at directly operated charging stations (evPlug) and e-roaming-related fees. Furthermore, settlement revenue from participation in the National DR program has emerged as a new source of revenue.
"Initially, charger sales accounted for a large portion of our business, but we are gradually restructuring our business to reduce our reliance on hardware by increasing the proportion of platform subscription fees and energy data services."
Following the Series A round in 2022, the company is preparing to secure a Series B round by the end of 2025, targeting projects in the Middle East and expanding global partnerships.
There are three core values that this representative emphasizes to investors.
The world's first OCPP 2.0.1 certification and PnC/V2G demonstration are the overwhelming technological gaps, actual greenhouse gas reduction data through carbon emissions trading and DR platforms, and global scalability through collaboration with Middle East smart city projects and Hubject.
The charging infrastructure envisioned by this representative for 2030 is one where charging becomes so commonplace that it's practically a no-brainer. PnC technology, which allows charging and payment to be completed simultaneously with parking, will become widespread, and wireless charging technology will permeate urban areas, eliminating the hassle of having to go to a charging station. Chargers will evolve beyond simply supplying electricity to become smart energy hubs that regulate the grid's supply and demand in real time.
By 2030, when 4.2 million electric vehicles are deployed, TARDIS will transform into a virtual power plant (VPP) operator leveraging this massive fleet of mobile batteries. V2G technology will create a structure that supplies excess power from vehicles to the grid. This will create a virtuous cycle, reducing charging costs for users and alleviating peak power issues for the government. Energy saved through DLM and low-power design will be converted into carbon credits, and a platform will be built for businesses and individuals to trade these credits.
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