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A TROLLEYMOTION workshop meeting and the presentation to the City of Parma and the public of the first of 9 electric trolleybuses based on the NEW Van Hool Multiple Propulsion Platform Exqui.City 18T took place in Parma recently. The bus features Vossloh Kiepe traction equipment including supercapacitors to regenerate the braking energy of the bus.  It has many unique features such as an attractive tramlook design, separate enclosed drivers’ compartment, central led roof lighting and electronic brakes, very large translucent window surfaces, electronic airconditioning, central roof heating and ventilation system.  It will be in service from September 2012 in the City of Parma.  TEP Parma is one of the partners in the european funded TROLLEY project.

The first free and fast charging station for electric vehicles in the country was presented March 15, 2012 in Monza at Iper, La grande i. The initiative is part of the project “Green Land Mobility”, promoted by non-profit organization Class, the Ministry of Environment, the Lombardy Region and the Province of Monza and Brianza - that triggered the strategic project ”Moving Better” dedicated to sustainable mobility . ”Green Land Mobility” has been selected by the Authority for Electricity and Gas as a pilot project for creating an infrastructure to promote sustainable mobility. The station consists of 6 columns, made ​​of recyclable material, with a power rating of 24 kW. The columns can provide electric energy, in short times, to all electric vehicles on the market. The charging station is constantly connected to the Internet to allow, through the site greenlandmobility, the use of multiple interactive features: on-line request for information, calculation of CO2 saved, booking charge, via sms or e-mail alert completion of charging, geo-referenced location of charging points; malfunctions notification, “Green Land Card” request (required for the use of columns). Recharging can be done by using the “Regional Services Card”: since March, all owners of an electric vehicle, equipped with plug and cable that meet the requirements for re-charging in a public place, may make an unlimited number of refills. Within the first months of 2012, the columns will be installed at Iper, La grande i retails in Rozzano (MI) and Milan-Portello, but in the following months, it is already planned the creation of electric charging stations in all the other large retailers involved [...]

The Energy Authority has made available around 2,300,000 euros to finance more than a thousand columns for recharging electric cars throughout Italy. The projects, admitted to the facilities, covering three possible solutions: the distributor model (columns installed and operated by the distributor in the concession area), the exclusive service provider model (columns installed and operated as a result of competition or given in concession by the local authority) and the  competitive service providers model (such as the one for fuel filling stations). The Authority’s funding has been allocated this year to: The Enel Distribuzione-Hera project (as a distributor model) which plan to install and manage 310 columns (in operation by the 2013) in Pisa, Bari, Genoa, Perugia, in some municipalities of EmiliaRomagna and the hinterland of Milan; The project (as exclusive service provider model) for 52 columns in Milan and 23 in Brescia (in operation by the 2013) and the project of the municipality of Parma for 200 points (in operation by the 2012); The Enel Energy project (as competitive service providers model) for 26 charging points in the hinterland of Rome and Milan (in operation by the second half of 2013), the Class Onlus project for 150 columns and the project for 107 columns in the supermarket in Rome, Milan, Naples, Bari, Catania, Genoa, Bologna and Varese (in service since the second half of 2014). For more information here.

London takes a step forward for the title of Electric Car European Capital: 150 new green filling stations were installed in the city. With these new stations, Londoners (electric car owners) can now recharge in a total of 400 distributors. The overall project involves the creation of 1,300 distributors by 2013. The goal of Mayor Boris Johnson, is to create the first eco-charge network at the European level to ensure that every London is at no more than a mile away from a distributor. “I want to rapidly accelerate the spread of electric vehicles and make London, the epicenter of electric vehicles in Europe” commented the mayor in an interview with British newspaper: The Guardian. According to experts of the Committee on Climate Change, the United Kingdom will need to reach 1.7 million of electric cars by 2020 in order to respect the agreements made on the CO2 emissions. Source: ANSA

On 14 December 2010, the electric was presented in Milan at Piazza Cadorna, realized thanks to an agreement between Trenitalia-LeNord and A2A The initiative includes 20 electric cars and 5 charging columns. For Gold customers the cost of service consists of a fixed part (annual fee) and a variable, depending on time of use: Annual fee: 100 € Rate of electric vehicles: 5 € / hour. No cost per kilometer. For Silver customers it is not expected an annual membership fee, but the cost of the rental shall be increased by 5 euro compared to Gold subscribers: Annual fee: not available Additional fixed cost per rental: 5 € Rate of electric vehicles: 5 € / hour.                                                                                                                  No cost per kilometer. After the pilot phase launched in Milan Cadorna, the “E-vai” project was also presented in Varese (January 29, 2011) and Como (April 4, 2011). Both at Varese and Como, “E-vai” vehicles are located in the parking station in order to allow those arriving by train to continue his Low Impact Environmental journey without having to leave the station. The integration with the regional rail network will promote a truly intermodal transportation system competitive and alternative to private transport. Varese and Como represent the later stages of the project which aims to expand to other focal points of regional public transport [...]

On December 3, 2010, at the Motor Show 2010 in Bologna the Italian Electrified Mobility Technological Platform unanimously endorsed the “Strategic Research  Plan for Electric Mobility”. In the previous interview to H2IT Professor Alessandro Sciolari (Scientific Director of Assoknowledge) stated that for all the initiatives that start from below it is necessary to establish an initial consensus that it is not always easy to achieve. For this reason, the agreement reached on December 3, 2010 is a huge step forward since the agreement provides an organic decision-making process and summarizes the convergence of goals between academia and industry with regard to research in electric mobility. In particular, the “Strategic Research  Plan for Electric Mobility” aims to identify how to make sustainable the electric mobility in order to reach the following benefits: zero harmful local emissions; reduce carbon dioxide emissions resulting from the production of electrical energy from primary energy sources,  with minimization of CO2 emissions related to vehicle manufacture and end of life; use of recharging infrastructure as “telematics highways” in order to manage the traffic flows resulting in relief and rationalization of the mobility of people and goods. The following are the specific objectives of the research activity that the [...]

The Green eMotion project will be launched on March 15 & 16, 2011. The project (FP7 call TRANSPORT) aims at the creation of a commonly accepted and user friendly framework for electro mobility in Europe. For the implementation of this framework the project will take into account the Smart Grids development, innovative ICT solutions, different types of electric vehicles as well as urban mobility concepts. Ten ongoing regional and national electro mobility initiatives will be connected leveraging on the results and comparing the different technology approaches to ensure the best solution prevail for the EU single market. As a result (at the end of the 4 years project) policy makers, urban planners and electric utilities will receive a reference model for a sustainable rollout of electro mobility in Europe. The Italian utility Enel is one of the major players from industry, the energy sector, municipalities as well as universities and research institutions involved in the project. On the occasion of the Green eMotion kickoff, on the march 16, 2011 HyRaMP will announce the broadening of the HyRaMP Partnership to electro-mobility. Source: RSE European project (pag. 22) Download: E-Mobility Project in Italy

Zero Emission City is a pilot project launched by Pietro Vignali, Mayor of Parma, which aims to promote the use of electric vehicles in the city. The start of the project is expected in 2011 with the installation of the first 100 electric charging points and at least as many electric vehicles. The project is expected to go fully operational by the end of 2012, with 300 points of charge installed and 400/450 electric vehicles circulating. The goal is to put into service at least 1000 electric cars by 2015 The project, founded with 9 million euro (1.9 for the starting phase), provides incentives up to 6 000 € for those who want to buy an electric car. The idea was presented on January 24, 2011 at the “European policy for electric mobility: focus on Parma Green City ” conference sponsored by the City of Parma and the European Commission, represented by its Vice-President Antonio Tajani, who is convinced that Parma could be a EU leaders for innovation by joining the project ’Smart Cities’ in order to become one of the concrete models for European cities. Roberto Garbati, CEO of the utility IREN, and Fulvia Fazio, head of the Enel mobility projects, are both very interested in [...]

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From 16 to 22 September was held the European Week of Sustainable Mobility, an initiative promoted by the European Union since 2002 that aims to raise awareness of the use of more environmentally friendly means of transport. For the occasion A2A presented on 22 September at the State University in Largo Richini (MI), its own e-moving project. The project, started together with the municipalities of Milan and Brescia, concerns the creation of a comprehensive and structured network of around 270 charging points (200 in Milan and 70 in Brescia) which will be installed by A2A in support of electric mobility. During the presentation was offered the chance to try some electric vehicles, such as DUCATI ENERGI’s vehicle, BIRO’s electric four wheels scooter and the electric scooter OXYGEN (2-4 batteries providing a range of 60-120 kilometers and recharge times of 3 to 6.5 hours).