Enel bets on the electric car and joins the Formula E team, the first electric single-seater car championship, becoming its Global Power Partner. "I'd like to clarify one thing: let's not start building electric cars" warns the CEO of Enel jokingly, however, Francesco Starace, upon his arrival in an electric car at the Maxxi to present the electric group's partnership with Formula E, which was launched in September 2014 and is currently in its second edition.
Enel's CEO said he was "Happy to be a partner of the Formula E team, an initiative that allows us to make our knowledge available to increase the digitization of their energy management infrastructure and to supply energy with our generation technologies from renewables. Enel and Formula E are natural partners because both fully seize the opportunities of electric mobility, Smart Cities and the green energy revolution. Let's join forces to continue the pioneering work in the field of technological innovation for the electric mobility of the future".
The Group will work with Formula E to optimize green energy generation, distribution and energy management, promoting the latest technologies, starting with the Berlin ePrix which takes place on 21 May. The partnership will continue in the following two championships, with the possibility of extending the agreement beyond the 2017-2018 championship.
“We are interested because we produce electricity and we are interested in the technological content. Formula E will be one of the important training grounds for innovation and for advancing technology. During the presentation, Starace noted: “If we go back a few years, renewable energies weren't considered a serious thing but a nice one; there is an analogy with electric cars. We are convinced that it is a serious matter, it already exists but there are still things to fix and Formula E can help”. Enel will supply its smart metering, energy management, storage and recharging solutions.
Changing the subject, on covering the Italian need for recharging stations for electric cars “we are very busy – added Starace – we are carrying out a study on Italy which will be ready in June. Assuming a million electric cars, let's study how many columns Italy must have and in which places. This study will tell us and we will make an investment program to cover the needs of Italians for recharges, to facilitate those who buy electric cars".
Everything stopped instead on Metroweb. “The offer – clarified Starace – has not yet been presented. We're working on it".
