In this episode, Fahd sits down with Zak Lefevre, co-founder and CEO of ChargeLab, to unpack a modern David vs. Goliath story in one of the world’s fastest-growing industries—EV infrastructure.
Zak started in 2016 with a drill, a parka, and a vision—installing EV chargers in freezing parking lots across Toronto. Today, ChargeLab powers over 15,000 chargers and is on a mission to become the universal software layer behind the future of electric mobility.
Zak shares how he pivoted from hardware to software, the patience it took to wait for the right opportunity, and how he’s quietly building the “Android of EV charging” while giants like Tesla chase vertical control.
From missing partnerships to navigating political headwinds, this is a story about timing, resilience, and redefining what it means to win.
Zak Lefevre is the founder and CEO of ChargeLab, the software company powering over 15,000 EV chargers across North America. Long before the EV boom hit headlines, Zak was 23 years old — in a frozen Toronto parking lot, installing chargers by hand. What started as a gritty hardware operation quickly evolved into something bigger: a software layer that could connect an entire ecosystem.
While the industry chased shiny stations, Zak focused on infrastructure — quietly building the Android of EV charging while Tesla built its walled garden. Today, ChargeLab works with global players like ABB and Siemens, proving that patience, precision, and deep conviction can outmaneuver even the biggest names.
