ABB lights up e-mobility in Diriyah

As twilight fades to darkness in the Saudi capital of Riyadh on February 26, a new era for the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship will begin. The opening rounds of Season 7, set in Riyadh’s historic locale of Diriyah – a UNESCO World Heritage Site – will be the first to run with FIA World Championship status, confirming the series’ place at the pinnacle of motorsport competition. The race will follow strict COVID-19 protocols, created under guidance from the relevant authorities, which enable the event to take place in a safe and responsible manner.

Hosting the start of season for the third year running, the double-header will be the first E-Prix to run after dark. The 2.5-kilometer street course of 21 turns hugs the ancient walls of Diriyah and will be lit by the latest low-power LED technology, reducing energy consumption by up to 50 per cent compared to non-LED tech. All power required for the event, including the LED floodlighting, will be provided by biofuel.

“At ABB, we see technology as key enabler for a more sustainable future and the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship as a great platform to drive excitement and awareness for the world’s most advanced e-mobility technologies,” said Theodor Swedjemark, Group Executive Committee member responsible for Communications and Sustainability.

The return of the series to Saudi Arabia supports the Kingdom’s 2030 Vision to diversify its economy and develop public service sectors. The vision has many synergies with ABB’s own 2030 Sustainability Strategy: it aims to make ABB contribute actively to a more sustainable world by enabling a low-carbon society, preserving resources and promoting social progress.

Headquartered in Riyadh, ABB Saudi Arabia operates several manufacturing sites, service workshops and sales offices . The global technology leader’s vast experience in driving progress towards a more sustainable future means it is well positioned to support the Kingdom in realizing its emerging giga-projects such as The Red Sea, Amaala, Qiddiya and NEOM, including the recently-announced- ‘The Line’ project.

Mohammed AlMousa, Country Managing Director, ABB Saudi Arabia, said: “With our strong local presence of over 70 years in the Kingdom, ABB Saudi Arabia has played a key role in the major industrial and infrastructure projects in the country. Backed by more than 130 years of deep domain expertise in our customers’ industries, ABB is a global technology leader and with our robotics, automation, electrification and motion solutions we will continue to play a key role in the Kingdom’s ambitions for smart cities and various giga-projects as part of the Vision 2030.”

In 2020, ABB began its first residential charger project in Saudi Arabia, supplying a premier residential compound in Riyadh with its market leading EV chargers. ABB is providing two types of AC Terra chargers: one which will be installed in the basement of the apartment buildings while the other will be used for the villas.

ABB is the title partner in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, an international racing series for fully electric single-seater racecars. Its technology supports the events at city-street tracks around the globe. ABB entered the e-mobility market back in 2010, and today has sold more than 400,000 electric vehicle chargers across more than 85 markets; more than 20,000 DC fast chargers and 380,000 AC chargers, including those sold through Chargedot.

ABB (ABBN: SIX Swiss Ex) is a leading global technology company that energizes the transformation of society and industry to achieve a more productive, sustainable future. By connecting software to its electrification, robotics, automation and motion portfolio, ABB pushes the boundaries of technology to drive performance to new levels. With a history of excellence stretching back more than 130 years, ABB’s success is driven by about 105,000 talented employees in over 100 countries. www.abb.com

2021 ABB FIA Formula E Championship – Calendar (races confirmed to date)