Joan Carles Artigau holds a degree in Electronic Engineering from the University of Tarragona, Spain. As Innovation and Heavy-Duty Project Manager in IDIADA Automotive Technology’s EV Charging department, he brings over seven years of automotive expertise. His specialization encompasses interoperability, conformance testing, and certification of charging infrastructure for both light and heavy-duty vehicles, positioning him as a key technical lead in the electrification of transport solutions.
What was your original motivation to become a researcher/project manager?
What originally motivated me to become a researcher was the opportunity to drive innovation, not just for technical advancement, but to be part of something bigger. Working on projects that directly shape my company’s evolution is deeply rewarding. There’s real motivation in knowing that the charging technologies we develop today will define sustainable transport tomorrow.
What is your (main) research area today?
My work at IDIADA centers on innovation and electric heavy-duty solutions, a field I’m truly passionate about. What drives me daily is collaborating with an exceptional team of experts to tackle the real-world challenges of charging conformance, interoperability, and certification across light and heavy-duty vehicles. It’s the combination of hands-on technical problem-solving and strategic project management that makes this role so fulfilling.
What is the main focus of your team in ZEFES?
Within ZEFES, my focus is on testing Megawatt Charging System solutions, a critical piece of the heavy-duty electrification puzzle. IDIADA leads a key working group dedicated to assessing, designing, developing, and validating V2G charging solutions that will be deployed across demonstration sites throughout Europe. What excites me most is that our team is developing an innovative MCS charging test emulator, essentially creating the testing environment that will validate real-world megawatt charging implementations. It’s a hands-on, collaborative effort that bridges cutting-edge technology with practical deployment challenges.
From all your activities within the project, what are you the most proud of/keen to share with the public?
We’ve already begun testing ISO 15118-20, the future-proof communication standard for EV charging, and I’m proud of what our team has achieved so far. What truly excites me is the scope of this standard: it’s designed to support every conceivable EV use case, from cars and bikes to trucks, buses, ships, and even aircraft. This isn’t just incremental progress, it’s about creating a unified language for charging across Europe’s entire transport ecosystem. Our team’s contribution to validating this standard feels like we’re building the foundation for the next generation of sustainable mobility.
How do you expect the ZEFES results will impact your organisation and the transport sector in Europe?
IDIADA is proud to participate in EU projects like ZEFES. They consistently deliver significant impact and elevate the quality of services we provide to our automotive industry customers. What’s particularly exciting is how ZEFES directly enhances our charging testing solutions. By incorporating the latest MCS technology developments, we’re not just keeping pace with innovation, we’re actively shaping it. This work strengthens our position as a trusted partner for our customers while contributing meaningfully to Europe’s electrification goals.
