- ABB FIA Formula E World Championship returns to Rome for double race weekend
- Italy electrified road project supported by ABB technology
- ABB solutions optimizing energy consumption to help meet sustainability goals
The streets of Rome are set for an exciting e-mobility showcase this weekend, as the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship returns to Italy for rounds 13 and 14 of Season 9.
One of the longest tracks on the calendar (3.385km), the Circuito Cittadino dell'EUR sweeps around the Obelisco di Marconi and the Colosseo Quadrato, in the south of the city. The fast, challenging circuit features undulations, long straights and elevation changes. The venue has become a drivers’ favorite and promises a thrilling race weekend.
The return of the electric racing series to Italy provides a strong focus for ABB, as the company’s industry-leading Terra series of EV and E-bus chargers are produced in the $30 million San Giovanni Valdarno facility, close to Arezzo. Opened last year, this facility represents a state-of-the-art factory in terms of digitalization and sustainability.
Karin Lepasoon, ABB’s Chief Communications and Sustainability Officer, said: “It’s great to once again be returning to Italy to promote the pinnacle of EV technology, in a country where ABB is so committed to the development of e-mobility solutions and helping to drive progress towards sustainability goals. It is an even more relevant location now that we are also the charging partner of the series. The ABB Formula E Race Charger, used to charge the Gen3 car, was developed in our San Giovanni Valdarno factory.”
Alongside the production of more conventional charging solutions, ABB is also working in Italy to explore innovative new technologies. Arena del Futuro is a collaborative innovation project, developed by the Italian motorway operator Autostrada Brebemi-Aleatica, based on the technology of inductive charging of electric vehicles. ABB is one of the infrastructure providers for the 1km loop. It is installing its Sace Infinitus solution – the world's first IEC 60947-2 certified solid-state circuit breaker – into the DC electrical substation, enabling the testing and deployment of Dynamic Wireless Power Transfer technology.
Driving EV adoption is just one element of ABB’s commitment to sustainability in Italy. At its Frosinone site, ABB produces over 3.5 million circuit breakers a year. Using the insights of ABB Ability™ Energy Manager, ABB Frosinone has reduced energy consumption for each circuit-breaker produced by 25 percent and has reduced average Scope 1 and 2 CO2 emissions per product by 33 percent compared to 2019. The Frosinone site is also the first ABB facility to achieve the platinum rating for zero waste to landfill, according to the UL2799A Environmental Claim Validation Procedure for Zero Waste Classifications. This means 100 percent of the site’s waste is diverted from landfill.
Examples of ABB’s energy efficiency and sustainability gains are being shared with customers for their own implementation. Farina Presse, a company based in Suello (LC), which designs and builds presses for the hot forging of metal components and related automation systems, has joined the Energy Efficiency Movement, launched by ABB to achieve the common goal of improving efficiency and reducing electricity consumption. Thanks to the integration of ABB technologies (torque motors and frequency converter ACS80 Multidrive) together with KERS technology, the Farina Presse Company has been able to reduce the energy consumption of its machines by 40 percent.
ABB Italy is also working on educational projects to inspire the next generation. One such example is Robocup 2023, a project aimed at providing young people with the skills and experience needed to program and operate robots. Over 1,000 students took part in the contest, with the final held in May at the ABB Robotics Technology Center in Vittuone (MI) in the presence of over 150 people, including teachers and students.
The Rome race weekend is the penultimate Season 9 destination for ABB Formula E. London’s ExCeL exhibition center hosts the concluding races on July 29 and 30.
ABB is a technology leader in electrification and automation, enabling a more sustainable and resource-efficient future. The company’s solutions connect engineering know-how and software to optimize how things are manufactured, moved, powered and operated. Building on more than 130 years of excellence, ABB’s ~105,000 employees are committed to driving innovations that accelerate industrial transformation. www.abb.com
About Formula E and the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship:
As the world’s first all-electric FIA World Championship and the only sport certified net zero carbon since inception, the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship brings dramatic racing to the heart of some of the world’s most iconic cities providing an elite motorsport platform for the world’s leading automotive manufacturers to accelerate electric vehicle innovation.
The Formula E network of teams, manufacturers, partners, broadcasters, and host cities are united by a passion for the sport and belief in its potential to accelerate sustainable human progress and create a better future for people and planet. www.FIAFormulaE.com
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