Throughout history, standards and innovation have been mutually dependent on each other. But how are these combined when developing products at Easee?

– We like to view standards as a recipe that exists to help us when we innovate at Easee, says Kjetil Næsje, Chief Technology Officer and Founder at Easee.

There’s almost a spark in his eyes. Perhaps not surprising, as Kjetil’s passion for innovation and technology started long before he knew what it meant.

Kjetil Næsje in lab
Pluss

Standards

Standards are requirements and procedures that address many issues within an industry segment, ranging from product functionality, production, interoperability, compatibility, and even health and safety. These standards are developed and enforced by standardization organizations.

The organizations are associations of companies within the same industry segment (e.g., electronics manufacturers) or individuals in the same profession (e.g., electrical engineers). There is no legal obligation to follow standards; it is entirely up to the business.

Companies benefit from standards because they reduce time to market and simplify product development. Customers benefit from standards because they make products safer and more functional.

– Standards contain knowledge and experience. They are carefully considered and based on history gathered from the industry globally.

Kjetil’s impression is that standards can easily be misunderstood as a simple checkbox for regulators.

– But the truth is that they create a fundamental framework from which we can design specific solutions. They are a fantastic tool and guideline to make society safer and more compatible, he explains.

What Kjetil is describing is in many ways similar to baking a cake. Eggs, flour, sugar, baking powder, and milk are the main ingredients—the standard. You can also choose to add some nuts, chocolate, fudge, or sprinkles to the cake. And suddenly you have innovation; an introduction of something new.

It is impossible to accelerate innovation without challenging the “old ways.”

Kjetil Næsje in primary one at primary school
Kjetil in primary 1 at primary school

At the tender age of 6, Kjetil knew what he wanted to be when he grew up. An old TV transformer from his grandparents changed everything. When he held it in his hand, he felt a kind of revelation. This led him to build his own radio in the first grade of primary school. At that time, he could only dream that this passion for technology and innovation would one day enable him to change the world.

– This is just the beginning for Easee. We dream of making life easier by developing an ecosystem to distribute limited energy in a smarter and more sustainable way.

To achieve this, Kjetil explains that we need to understand, explore, and challenge even the standard for the power grid, which is over 100 years old. In other words, it’s time for an upgrade.

What we do today would never be possible if we didn’t take the standards into account.

Before Kjetil could mix all the cake ingredients together—or in his case, the Easee charger—he had to spend several months thoroughly studying the recipe. He explored the wording and the intent behind the standard.

– I can’t express enough how valuable the standard is. The only danger is that you follow them so closely that you no longer allow yourself to consider the purpose and the thinking behind the standard.

A hand fixing technical equipment

He further explains that many developers may feel obligated to follow the standard 100%, even though their ideas could add value to the product by making it safer, smarter, more affordable, or more sustainable.

– If you want to deviate even 1% from the standard, you must be able to justify that it’s done with a purpose and that the safety and intent of the standard are maintained. You must explain why you believe this is a better solution with the same intention as the previous one.

Where Easee Fits In

Kjetil explains that throughout history, laws and standards have been updated, changed, and introduced in response to new developments. Volvo, for example, has been pioneering in safety within the automotive industry.

– They introduced the first modern three-point seatbelt with the intention of making vehicles safer. It wasn’t until over ten years later that U.S. authorities included these seatbelts in the standard.

Kjetil showing inside of an Easee charger

He takes a final sip of his coffee and explains that evolution in industries would never have occurred or been improved upon without companies bold enough to innovate and enhance the established norms.

– We will face standards, society, the established industry, and other people with strong opinions. We will encounter friends, but also foes. But this is exactly where we want to be and where we belong—where innovation meets reality and ideas become reality. We believe that our way of doing things will also make its way into these standards, allowing others to continue innovating further.