Emobi: why your next EV might never need an app to charge
In our latest episode of Lexicon, we sat down with Lin Sun Fa, CEO of Emobi and a lifelong cybersecurity enthusiast, to discuss how AI, digital identity, and data refinement models are converging to create the future of EV charging.
As electric vehicles (EVs) become more mainstream, the infrastructure needed to support them must evolve just as rapidly. Charging remains one of the most significant barriers to mass EV adoption, not only because of accessibility and availability, but also because of the fragmented experience drivers face when moving between different networks.
Enter Emobi, a company that aims to make EV charging as seamless and secure as charging your phone.
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'We deliver seamless, secure EV charging through a unified infrastructure. Just plug in, and charging starts automatically,' Fa explained.
At its core, Emobi offers a universal backend system that connects all stakeholders in the EV charging ecosystem, including charging networks, automakers, fleet operators, and app developers.
Rather than forcing companies to overhaul existing hardware or firmware, Emobi introduces a layer of security and automation allowing plug-and-play functionality across systems.
'We unify a fragmented charging landscape into one secure, automated backbone for the industry,' he added.
This vision is embodied in Emobi's flagship technology, JustPlug, a cloud-based alternative to traditional 'Plug and Charge' systems. While well-known, Plug and Charge is limited by its reliance on specific hardware and firmware.
In contrast, JustPlug moves that handshake process to the cloud, enabling secure authentication and authorization even across outdated or mismatched systems.
'Eighty percent of vehicles and chargers today don't support Plug and Charge. We created JustPlug to work with what's already out there without needing new hardware,' he told us.
JustPlug leverages digital certificates—the same asymmetric encryption technology that underpins HTTPS protocols on the web. These certificates are installed in vehicles and chargers to create unique digital identities, ensuring that every connection is authenticated and encrypted.
'Digital certificates are the most secure technology we have—they're what makes HTTPS work, and now they're securing your EV charging,' he said.
'It's the most secure EV charging experience you can get—without compromising convenience,' he added.
Beyond security, however, what makes Emobi particularly exciting is its use of AI and data refinement. While the concept of smart charging isn't new, Emobi brings a sophisticated data model to the table, aiming to eliminate one of the most frustrating issues in the EV world: the inaccurate status of charging stations.
'Sometimes a charger shows as available, but it's broken. Drivers spend the last mile of their battery to get there, only to find they're stuck,' he said.
Emobi addresses this through a layered enrichment, refinement, and transformation approach. Their AI systems pull in data not just from the network itself, but also from user feedback, usage history, and even behavioral trends to produce reliability scores.
'We turn raw, unreliable charger data into real-time reliability scores—so drivers know what to trust,' he added.
This same intelligence is used to help charging network operators optimize station placement—a growing concern as EV adoption accelerates. While it may seem intuitive to simply co-locate chargers with existing fuel stations, Lin argues that this misses critical factors like grid readiness, accessibility, and even vandalism risk.
'More data means better decisions. We help operators avoid the scattershot approach and make smarter infrastructure investments,' he told us.
This predictive power extends to energy management and future-ready applications like Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) or Vehicle-to-Home (V2H) technologies. With the proper cryptographic protocols, EVs can become part of the grid, not just consumers, but as active energy assets.
'In the future, cars, chargers, and the grid will all identify each other securely to share energy. That's where we're headed,' he added.
Though often associated with blockchain, Emobi's approach is based on targeted, efficient cryptographic protocols tailored specifically for the charging ecosystem.
'It's not blockchain per se, but both rely on cryptography. We use what's necessary to get the job done right and securely,' he said.
While Emobi is currently focused on the North American market, its roadmap is global. As regulations evolve and EV adoption grows in Europe and Asia, Lin sees Emobi's model scaling effortlessly.
'We're cutting our teeth in North America, but yes—Europe is mature, and Asia is emerging fast. Expansion is inevitable,' he added.
Still, regulatory hurdles remain challenging, especially with outdated standards that assume hardware-based authentication. For example, ISO 15118, the backbone of Plug and Charge, has been around since 2014 but has seen slow adoption due to its complexity and cost. Emobi's cloud-based model is a clever workaround that maintains compliance while removing bottlenecks.
'Nobody wants to pay more money to rip out and replace hardware. JustPlug meets the standard, without the friction,' he told us.
Collaboration is key. Emobi works closely with automakers and charging networks to pilot new integrations. Adoption is growing because, as Lin points out, everyone wants to make charging as painless as possible for drivers and providers.
'It's in everyone's interest to make EV charging seamless. And we're giving them a way to do that without starting from scratch,' he added.
As for the long-term vision, Lin paints a picture of universal compatibility and invisible tech. 'In the future, you'll buy any EV, go to any charger, and simply plug in. No apps. No hassle. That's the Emobi vision,' he told us.
Whether it's a connected grid, a smart city, or even—yes—flying EVs, Emobi's mission is to become the secure infrastructure that underpins it all.
'Everything is an energy asset today. The future is about secure communication between them, and we're building the platform to make that happen,' he said.
For a world still figuring out how to fuel its electric revolution, Emobi is proving that the solution isn't always new hardware or flashy interfaces—it's smart, secure, and seamless systems that work quietly in the background.
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