From the Tree to GARO Entity – GARO’s Journey in EV Charging
Are you thinking about installing a wallbox at home for your electric car?
A lot has happened since GARO showcased its very first charging station in Almedalen in 2008. Electric vehicles have become more common, requirements have become stricter, and technology smarter – and GARO has been part of driving that change. Below is a historical overview of our journey in EV charging: how it all began, the path that led to today, and how the future is taking shape.
The year was 2008
Volvo launched its first XC60. Barack Obama was elected President of the United States. Usain Bolt sprinted into the history books with double world records at the Beijing Olympics. And in Almedalen… stood a green Y-shaped creation. GARO showcased its very first charging station: The Tree. Perhaps the world’s most overpriced charging station in terms of functionality – but a first, bold step towards the future.
It was there and then that GARO’s journey in EV charging began. Together with the company Fortum, a charging solution was presented alongside an electric-converted Toyota Prius, as factory-made electric cars were virtually nonexistent at the time.
With two Schuko outlets with residual-current devices housed in a magical casing, The Tree became both a starting point and a hot topic of conversation. It was produced and sold both as a wall-mounted and floor-mounted unit, despite its high production cost. It was a different time. But it was the beginning of something big.
LS1: The next step in GARO’s charging development (2009–2015)
After The Tree, GARO launched the LS1, a charging station available on the market from September 2009 to August 2015. Since there was no standard for charging connectors at the time, LS1 was equipped with Schuko outlets and made for both wall and floor installation. The charging station offered technology and features ahead of its time. A popular variant could be started and stopped via SMS by sending the commands “start” and “stop.” GARO also developed a version in collaboration with CALE, a company producing parking meters, with a feature that allowed payment for charging directly at the parking meter.
In 2013, several car manufacturers introduced a “7-pin charging connector,” known as Type 2. At the same time, Mode 3 charging was introduced, enabling communication between the car and the charging station – a monitored charging process that significantly increased safety compared to Schuko charging.
LS2: Charger meets engine heater (2012–2016)
The next step was the LS2 charging station, manufactured between August 2012 and September 2016. This station was based on the Futura engine heater post. It was offered with various inserts under the hood, such as dual Schuko outlets with fixed current, or a combination of fixed current and time- and temperature-controlled engine heater outlets.
With this combination, GARO believed it had solved all problems – the same product could be used for both EV charging and engine heating. But… at that time, we didn’t know that Schuko outlets were unsuitable for EV charging. LS2 was further developed and later equipped with a Type 2 connector instead.
LS3: Too much tech? (2014–2016)
LS3 was the response to growing EV interest and increasing market demands. The model was produced from February 2014 to September 2016. Towards the end of its lifecycle, the station featured dual 22 kW Type 2 outlets and came in all variants, from a simple “stand-alone charger” without metering or control to a connected OCPP charger in larger load-balancing clusters. LS3 became very popular and dominated the public market, but was also sold to environmentally conscious, wealthy private individuals. Rumor has it that even Björn Ulvaeus installed one…
LS3 was a fully modern technical product but had so much technology packed into the post that it eventually became difficult to install.
LS4: Flexible, reliable, and future-ready (2015–Present)
In May 2015, LS4 was introduced, and with it, GARO managed to strike a balance. Technically, earlier versions of this post were similar to LS3 but significantly easier to install and work with. LS4 was also manufactured in various versions, from simple “stand-alone chargers” without metering and control to connectable variants. Around 2017, GARO changed its control unit supplier, and the simple non-connected variants were removed from the product range. Today, LS4 is a familiar sight in EV charging across Sweden and can be found in many public locations nationwide. Since 2024, LS4 has also been available with an integrated payment station directly in the post.
GHL: GARO brings charging home (2015)
Charging with Schuko outlets had unfortunately caused several accidents, and the need for safe charging was promoted by manufacturers and supported by insurance companies. At the time, the Swedish Electrical Safety Agency (Elsäkerhetsverket) had only issued recommendations that were not mandatory. GARO, which had long taken the issue seriously, launched the GHL (GARO Home Charger) in March 2015. The charging box quickly became popular due to its ease of installation and use, as well as its low price. It was intended for installation in a garage or carport and came in variants with a socket or cable (Type 1 and Type 2) for single-phase or three-phase connections. GHL had no other load-balancing functions than static levels.
GLB and GLB+: A resounding success (2019–2024)
GHL was a great success, and demand for more features and functionality grew. GARO therefore upgraded the GHL to connectable load-balanced charging clusters and named the new version GLB (GARO Charging Box). GLB was launched in March 2019. Shortly thereafter, an OCPP variant, GLB+, was released. GLB+ had the same casing and design as GLB but was intended for operator connection with monitoring and billing. Production of GLB and GLB+ ended in December 2024.
GTB: Twin makes its entrance (2020–Present)
As needs continued to grow, GLB was slightly too small to accommodate both a three-phase fuse, residual-current device, and energy meter. Therefore, we developed a new model based on the LS4 casing, combining two GLBs into one stylish aluminum enclosure. The result? GTB (GARO TwinBox), launched in March 2020. Twin quickly became popular thanks to its easy installation and convenient use. GTB also comes as an OCPP variant, GTB+, and is a perfect complement to LS4, as it uses the same control unit and can balance loads together with it.
GARO Entity: The future of charging stations (2022–Present)
In November 2022, GARO took another major step forward with the launch of GARO Entity Pro. This marked the beginning of a completely new technical platform. Shortly after, GARO Entity Compact was introduced, and in 2024 the family was further expanded with GARO Entity Home. The product family also includes the engine heater outlet GARO Entity Heat, a smart heater outlet built on the same technical foundation as the GARO Entity charging boxes.
With the GARO Entity series, we now offer a complete range of EV charging solutions for everything from private homes and condominiums to commercial properties and public spaces. The GARO Entity platform is built for the future, ready to handle new technologies and requirements.