Monetizing EV charging in Belgium: expert insights from our Country Manager Belgium

We are very happy to have Despina Chatzikyriakou on our team. As Country Manager Belgium, she leads Voltico’s growth and market development in the Belgian EV ecosystem, building strategic partnerships and helping businesses unlock the value of their charging infrastructure.

In the nine years prior to Voltico, she worked at the heart of Europe’s EV charging and e-mobility ecosystem, including serving on Zeekr Europe’s executive board and leading its Charging and Energy Department. She has built a strong network spanning OEMs, energy players, charging operators and technology providers, and has been closely involved in the practical challenges of scaling charging and clean-energy solutions in complex, regulated markets.

Drawing on her extensive experience, Despina highlights the ambitious policies, a dense charging network, and strong potential for monetizing EV charging in Belgium, and how regulatory and market complexity can be turned into scalable opportunities.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

Despina starts: “Although I’ve spent most of my life and career across international organizations and fast-scaling ventures in the UK, the US, and Belgium, I originally come from Greece, where I was raised on a very small island.

Today, my focus remains firmly on EV charging and clean energy, where I work on building solutions that are not only innovative, but economically viable and scalable.”

Her background combines advanced R&D with senior commercial and leadership roles, across both global automotive groups and high-growth electric mobility ventures. She adds: “I’m particularly interested in making complexity manageable: understanding ecosystems end-to-end, aligning stakeholders, and turning regulation, technology, and data into clear strategies and real value creation.”

What attracted you to Voltico and this role, and what makes the Belgian market interesting for monetizing EV charging?

“Voltico appealed to me because of its pragmatic approach to the energy transition. It focuses on turning charging data and regulation into real economic value, rather than adding complexity. That combination of technical depth, regulatory understanding, and commercial clarity strongly resonated with me.”

Belgium is a natural focus for Despina. “I’ve lived and worked here for the past 14 years, and it’s a market with strong policy ambition, a dense charging ecosystem, and significant untapped potential when it comes to monetizing EV charging. The complexity is real, but so is the opportunity and that’s where Voltico can make an immediate impact.”

How do you think emission credits drive the energy transition?

Emission credits play a critical role because they directly improve the economics of electrification. Despina explains: “For large fleets in particular, they can meaningfully reduce the total cost of ownership of electric vehicles by turning charging activity into a tangible revenue stream. This shifts EV charging from a pure cost centre into a source of value.

In markets like Belgium, where EV adoption is accelerating and charging infrastructure is expanding, emission credits help turn policy ambition into real commercial incentives. By monetizing clean electricity used in transport, they strengthen business cases and accelerate investment and scale.”

Quickly estimate your monthly EV charging income with our e-credits calculator.

What part of the energy transition motivates you most, and where do you hope to make an impact with Voltico?

“What motivates me most is making the energy transition economically sustainable. Technologies alone are not enough. They only scale when the business case works. I’m particularly driven by approaches that turn regulatory complexity and operational data into clear economic incentives for companies.”

She continues: “With Voltico, I am confident that we can make an impact by helping charging operators and fleets unlock value from what they are already doing, strengthening their business cases and accelerating adoption at scale.” 

What do you see as the biggest barriers and opportunities for monetizing EV charging in Belgium today?

Belgium has moved beyond the pioneering phase, but it is not yet a fully mature mass market. EV adoption is progressing unevenly, with corporate fleets driving growth, while private adoption and infrastructure economics remain more fragile.

Key barriers today include grid congestion (particularly for high-power DC sites), low utilization of AC charging locations, and regulatory fragmentation across Flanders, Wallonia, and Brussels.

“At the same time, the opportunities are concentrated and very real”, Despina said. “Corporate fleets now dominate new EV registrations, creating scalable use cases around fleet charging and reimbursement. New mandatory charging requirements for commercial buildings are accelerating infrastructure rollout, while smart charging, energy optimization, and emission credits are emerging as key levers to improve business cases. These mechanisms can help unlock further infrastructure investment by turning charging from a cost into a source of value.” 

When you’re building something from the ground up in a new market, what kind of environment helps you perform at your best?

“I work best in complex, multi-stakeholder ecosystems. I enjoy mapping how different interests connect, reducing that complexity through clear prioritization, and making it obvious where value can be created. In ecosystems like energy and mobility, progress depends on finding the right win-win dynamics.”

Despina is motivated to build strategic partnerships that align incentives across stakeholders and turn complexity into momentum, which is where scalable impact really happens. 

Want to learn more about EV charging in Belgium?

Curious to learn more about opportunities in the Belgian market? Connect with her on LinkedIn or book a short meeting directly.