CirculaCar

CirculaCar, founded in 2021 by Edouard Nicolaÿ and Geoffrey Pauwels, specializes in the electrification of vehicles. Based in Lyon, France, the company designs, manufactures, and integrates modular and repairable LFP (lithium-fer-phosphate) battery packs for industrial and commercial vehicles. Their core business serves vehicle manufacturers looking to decarbonize their fleets, offering solutions for a range of vehicles from light quadricycles to heavy-duty trucks and buses. The company has developed a specific expertise in creating custom electric architectures and provides embedded software for real-time data monitoring.

In addition to serving manufacturers, CirculaCar is developing approved retrofit kits to convert internal combustion engine vehicles to electric. This service is aimed at professionals and local authorities, allowing them to continue using their existing vehicles, such as light commercial vans, in low-emission zones. The company's business model involves direct sales of its battery packs to manufacturers and providing comprehensive project support, from initial design and prototyping to after-sales service. CirculaCar has successfully raised funds to support its growth and industrialization phase, with investments from industrial partners, family offices, and crowdfunding platforms. The firm gained a key milestone with the homologation of its LFP battery, positioning it as a notable player in the European market for its cell-level repairable technology.

The founding of the company was driven by the observation that vehicle pollution is primarily from the engine, not the entire vehicle. Co-founder Geoffrey Pauwels, an engineer with a background at Safran and Navya, teamed up with Edouard Nicolaÿ, who has a commercial and purchasing background, to create an economical and ecological alternative to buying new electric vehicles.

Keywords: electric conversion, vehicle electrification, LFP battery packs, automotive retrofit, commercial vehicles, decarbonization, powertrain solutions, circular economy, fleet management, embedded software