
During my 3 years with Tesla, we meticulously refined every small detail of the customer experience to create magic. We spent incredible amounts of time and energy preparing our customers for EV ownership, entertaining questions and raising their excitement level to an intense peak at just the right moment. It was beautiful.
Yet too often, the customer experience was derailed by a negative charging installation that was outside of our control. I heard countless horror stories about unresponsive contractors, shockingly high prices, false or misleading information, cringe-worthy customer service and poor-quality workmanship. Unfortunately, most contractors are not qualified to recommend the right charging solution because they lack specialized knowledge of electric vehicles, charging products and local rebates/incentives. The difference between the right solution and the wrong solution can easily cost thousands of dollars.
As I began to reflect on this problem, I was also shopping for a mortgage and decided I would not waste my time going from lender to lender, filling out the same paperwork and hoping for the best rate. Instead, I hired a mortgage broker to streamline this process for me. I received a much better deal than I could have negotiated myself, it required less effort and it didn’t cost me a penny. The entire transaction was remarkably simple.
I thought there must be a way to apply the same elegant business model to EV charging installations, but I just wasn't sure how. As I peeled back the layers of what this service might look like, where I could remove friction and where I could add value - my idea began to take form. Since launching Abstract Energy in 2018, we have designed an experience that truly puts the EV customer first.
Kelly Saunders, MBA
Founder