Ferhat Babacan
Co-founder & CEO of Bluedot (acquired by Epic Charging), backed by Y Combinator, Ford, Samsara, and Porsche. Forbes 30 Under 30. Former athlete. Writing about physical AI, autonomy and energy, from Palo Alto.
I grew up in Yalova — Türkiye's smallest city, right across the sea from Istanbul — as a competitive athlete. I played volleyball professionally from primary school through the end of high school. Sports gave me the two things I still run on: being a team player, and the ability to lose without quitting. I studied mechanical engineering and business as a double major, and started my career around vehicles — buses, battle tanks, and engine calibration.
In 2022, I moved to San Francisco and started Bluedot: one operating layer for EV fleets that unifies charging, payments, and operations. We went through Y Combinator, raised $5.5M from investors like Ford, Samsara, Axel Springer, and Porsche, and powered fleets for Hertz, Rivian, Avride, Vay, Via, and the City of San Francisco. In 2026, Bluedot was acquired by Epic.
Right now I'm playing out the final minutes to set Epic up for the win, riding robotaxis for research (175 rides and counting), and writing about the economics of autonomy and physical AI. Then a short off-season — and back for next season. Bigger arena, bigger bets.
Advisor
Bluedot / Epic Charging
Playing out the final minutes to set Epic up for the win after the acquisition — advising on product, fleets, and what comes next.
Co-Founder & CEO
Built the all-in-one platform for EV fleets — charging, payments, and operations in one operating layer. Backed by Y Combinator, Ford, Samsara, Axel Springer, and Porsche; raised $5.5M. Worked with Fortune 500 and government fleets including Hertz, Rivian, Avride, Vay, Via, and the City of San Francisco. Shipped the Bluedot Visa Card, FleetOS, and the Bluedot mobile apps. Acquired by Epic Charging in 2026.
Growth Engineer
Launched title & registration automation and EV fleet + charging management products; designed vehicle maintenance schedules to optimize fleet performance across operating conditions.
Member
Part of a European community of founders and operators pushing the tech industry toward measurable climate action.
Calibration & Application Engineer
Single point of contact between customer calibration teams and the Bosch project team — OBD diagnostics, fuel-tank evaporation calibration, and test automation.
Project Management
Special project development and project management on defense programs including the Altay main battle tank and Scorpion 2, at one of Turkey's leading automotive and defense manufacturers.
Mechanical Engineering Intern
Production and R&D internship at a manufacturer of electric public transport vehicles — my first taste of electric mobility.
I learn by riding, modeling, and writing. Mostly about physical AI, autonomy and energy:
There is a number the entire robotaxi industry refuses to publish. This piece exists because of it. Earlier this year, a US Senate inquiry asked the major operators a single question: how often do…
Self-driving cars already work. So why is the industry that built them at war with itself? A field guide to the bets, the bluffs, and the human still hiding in the loop. The car is doing about 35…
Twenty-One Miles: When the Map Cracked
I picked up Daniel Yergin’s The New Map on a recommendation last winter. I spend most of my time at the intersection of energy, transportation, tech, and politics. A friend kept saying: “If you want…
From Emissions to Innovations: How Electric Fleets are Changing the Game
The shift towards sustainable transportation is gaining momentum, and fleet electrification stands at the forefront of this transformation. As organizations seek to reduce their carbon footprint and…
Seize the Moment and Protect It: Rebranding Bluedot
We are very excited for Bluedot’s new journey and brand. We were launched with a simple goal in mind: addressing our planet’s sustainability issues with a market-oriented approach — issuing the…
To imagine that today, every movie theatre would be replaced by Netflix is, in my opinion, not only implausible but also a hopeless ridiculous dream. Customers can simply walk into a store, pay a…
Books I've read recently. Drag the shelf to browse, click a book to pick it up.