As the auto industry transitions to electrification, it offers opportunities for entrepreneurs and startups to get in on the ground floor. Detroit-based Vehya is one of those companies. Stellantis recently announced a partnership with them to deliver electric vehicle charging solutions for businesses and homeowners.

Find out more about Vehya in our Question and Answer feature with Vehya CEO William McCoy:

QUESTION: WHEN AND WHY DID YOU START VEHYA?

William McCoy: Vehya was started almost two years ago as I was training to become a dealer owner. I saw there was a huge disconnect in the Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) space because of a lack of knowledge of the products, but also project management. Vehya started with the idea of helping dealers navigate their own EVSE installation journey at their properties and then morphed into helping the consumer navigate the process as well.

Q: AS A PARTNER WITH STELLANTIS, WHAT IS VEHYA’S GOAL IN SUPPORTING AUTOMOTIVE ELECTRIFICATION?

WM: It is two-fold. First, to help dealers navigate the process of electrification at their stores. Then to help support Stellantis customers with a turnkey process for installation and service of electrification products at their homes and businesses. Electrification adoption needs a marketplace that reflects the ease of use companies like Amazon and Uber provide for consumers. Vehya is that marketplace.

Q: HOW CAN AN IMPROVED ELECTRIC NETWORK AND VEHICLE OFFERINGS IMPACT THE LIVES OF DETROITERS?

WM: Having an improving electric network will help with grid resiliency so that customers have less downtime as more electrification products come online. With more vehicle offerings, people will gain access to the advantages of EV ownership, such as lower maintenance and fueling costs. This will cause an increase in the used vehicle market that will provide access to EVs for those who are either on the fence or who want an EV but cannot afford new vehicle prices.

Q: WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO HAVE YOUR COMPANY BASED IN DETROIT?

WM: Detroit is the birthplace of the automotive industry and that industry has kept the U.S. as a world leader. So it was important to have our presence here. The people that got us here are the hardest-working people in the nation. They encompass both the American dream and the ability to succeed under any conditions.

Learn more about Vehya at www.vehya.com.

As part of its Dare Forward 2030 plan, Stellantis is setting a course for 50% of U.S. sales to be battery-electric vehicles by the end of this decade and will launch 25 battery-electric vehicles in the U.S. over that same period.