About our founders
The Electric Journey Ahead: The Visionary Leaders of AutosEU.com
AutosEU.com, now a shining beacon of sustainability and innovation within Europe’s electric and hybrid automobile sector, has an origin story that embodies the transformation of passion into a profession. Established over three years ago by the dynamic duo of visionaries, Jakub Hotek and Krystof Knezinek, the platform’s roots were unexpectedly planted in the soil of a school project and a shared hobby.
Our vision is to provide a smooth electric & hybrid car acquisition and sales journey for buyers and sellers alike, in the EU. At AutosEU, everything we do from service development to marketing & communications, aims to empower our users with valuable information and filterable data to give them greater confidence when it comes to trading electric & hybrid cars– regardless of how much they already know about the industry or how engaged they wish to be in the process.
A School Project Turned Vision: The Birth of AutosEU.com
Jakub Hotek’s unwavering passion for electric cars initially drove him to create a blogging platform as part of a school project. What began as a hobby soon evolved into a grand vision. Recognizing the potential for genuine impact, Jakub joined forces with his longtime friend Krystof Knezinek to elevate this simple blogging site into what has now become Europe’s premier online marketplace for electric and hybrid cars – AutosEU.com. The duo’s shared commitment to accelerating the mass adoption of electrified transportation in Europe became the guiding force behind their entrepreneurial journey.
As we delve into the growth story of AutosEU.com, a thriving platform for European electric and hybrid automobiles, it becomes imperative to trace the origins of its establishment. At the core of AutosEU.com lie the life journeys of its founders, whose dedication, vision, and passion have molded the platform into its present form.
Bridging Continents and Cultures: The Odyssey of Jakub Hotek
Born in Malaysia and having traversed countries such as South Korea, Thailand, and Indonesia due to his parents’ diplomatic roles, Jakub Hotek’s journey is enriched with diverse experiences. An alumnus of British International schools, Jakub pursued studies in Economics, Finance, and Management, culminating in a Master’s degree from the prestigious University of St Andrews in the UK. Today, in addition to leading AutosEU.com as its CEO, he continues his academic pursuit, working towards an MBA accredited by ACBSP.
From Prague to the Helm of AutosEU.com: Krystof Knezinek
Krystof Knezinek, deeply connected to Prague, Czech Republic, complements Jakub’s global perspective. Specializing in Law, particularly business and accounting law, Krystof embarked on his academic journey at The University of Finance and Administration (VSFS). While currently serving as the COO at AutosEU.com, Krystof is further expanding his horizons by pursuing a Master’s degree in Law from the Faculty of Law at the University of West Bohemia.
Accelerating the Adoption of Electric Mobility with Czech Angel Investors Who Share the Founders’ Vision
The inception of AutosEU.com was not merely a business idea but a shared vision. Both Jakub and Krystof were passionate car enthusiasts from a young age. It was not only their shared love for automobiles but also their vision to electrify the personal transportation industry that later prompted them to envision a unified automotive platform for European car enthusiasts and future adopters of electric car mobility. AutosEU.com stands today as Europe’s premier online marketplace for electric and hybrid cars. Established over three years ago, the platform is dedicated to crafting a sustainable future by connecting car enthusiasts with eco-friendly automotive solutions. In a recent development, AutosEU.com is securing substantial funding from Czech Angel Investors who share the founders’ vision, propelling the platform’s expansion and presence across the European Union. This marks the ushering in of an era where a growing number of dealers embrace the platform to accelerate the electrified vision in transportation that AutosEU.com passionately represents.
An electric vehicle (EV) is one that uses an electric motor for drive, powered by a battery and typically able to be recharged by plugging it in to an external power source. There are three core types of EV – pure electric, plug-in hybrid, and mild-hybrid cars.
Most new EVs have a real-world range of somewhere between 80-250 km, depending on the model. Small, city-focused cars sit at the lower end of the range spectrum, with many family models easily able to cover 110-180 km on a single charge, though there are an increasing number that can cover 250-300 km. Premium models, like the Tesla extended range models or Jaguar I-Pace, can cover 300-350+ km on a full battery.
Depending on the model, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) are able to drive 15-40 miles in electric only mode. However, when the conventional petrol or diesel engine is used, PHEVs have a range that can easily exceed 600 km when using both fuels.
Range-extended EVs tend to offer the same amount of range as a pure-EV on electric power, but then can call on a small combustion engine to extend the range. This typically adds another 150 km or so, with an overall range (using both fuels) of 200-250 km.
According to the results of crash testing conducted for all cars and vans, yes. Electric and hybrid cars adhere to the same safety regulations as conventional vehicles – note however that quadricycles like the Renault Twizy are not covered by the same testing regimes. Many of the EU’s best-selling Electric and hybrid cars have been awarded five stars by independent safety body EuroNCAP.
However, it should be said that there have been a small number of fires from lithium batteries, most notably involving the Tesla Model S in the United States. However, Tesla has published in-depth data to show that the incidences of fires is no greater than for conventional cars (which may be reported less frequently).
That’s the funny part with fully-electric cars… Theres no motor-oil that needs changing. Abiding with the manufacturer service requirements is still recommended.
Driving an electric car certainly feels different the first time round. Most notably an electric car is almost completely silent, with noise from the wind and tyres being created. Other than that, EV’s drive in a similar way to conventional car with an automatic transmission (single gear usually), and are very easy to drive. Best of all they have a phenomenal amount of ‘torque’ from the stand still, which means that the acceleration you will experience even in some of the standard EV models will astonish you.
Fundamentally, the answer is much less than a petrol or diesel car would. Given the current fuel costs for petrol or diesel cars are on average between in the range €0.12-0.18 per km, and only € 0.03-0.05 per km for a home-charged pure-EV. Because of the variety of models available, each will have different costs per trip, depending on where it is charged, and how efficient the particular EV model is.
We can help with your financing plan, insurance choice and delivery through our third-party partners.
Additionally, we offer car-sourcing and negotiation services, if you wish to have someone find the right car at the right price for you.
For more info email: [email protected]
If you are thinking of buying a fully electric EV, there are three issues that need to be considered that will determine whether this type of EV is the right vehicle for you:
Read more on our blog EVERA to learn more on whether a pure-EV is suitable for your vehicle and travel requirements.