ITALY
Arrival and Enel X have entered into a partnership to test the UK-based manufacturer’s zero-emission battery electric bus in Italy. The partners aim to ‘foster the growth of electrified public transport globally through increasingly high-performance and competitive solutions.’ The tests will be carried out by Enel X and look at all the main features of the Arrival Bus. They will be undertaken at the Vallelunga circuit in Italy, where Enel X Way’s advanced charging services and solutions will also be used to charge the vehicles. If the tests are successful, Enel will look to include the Arrival Bus within its portfolio of global electrification solutions.
“The partnership with Arrival is another important step towards achieving our goals of electrifying public transport globally. Public transport authorities face significant challenges in making cities smarter and more sustainable, and by offering our public transport solutions together with our many years of global experience, we want to give solid support to make this a reality,” said Francesco Venturini, CEO of Enel X. “Arrival Buses look very promising. They are a technologically advanced means of transport that, if integrated within our value offer, can potentially provide operators and end users with the best possible customer experience.”
“We are very excited to partner with Enel X and Enel X Way to assist bus operators and cities around the world as they accelerate the transition to electric vehicles, bringing cleaner air to our cities,” said Avinash Rugoobur, President of Arrival. “Our electric bus aims to set new standards in passenger experience while reducing costs for operators. By manufacturing our vehicles in local micro-factories, we are fostering a global green transition that is fair, bringing jobs to local communities, using local suppliers and building vehicles designed for local markets.”
The partnership will enable Enel X to strengthen its offering to public transport authorities globally, providing a boost to reach Enel’s target of more than 20,000 electric buses served by 2030. Enel X is one of the world’s largest suppliers of e-bus solutions outside China. It currently operates more than 3,200 e-buses globally. Enel X says its e-bus solution is modular and customisable to the customer’s specific needs and is offered through different business models that include, among others, leasing options. It includes a wide variety of products and services, including a complete end-to-end ‘e-bus as a service’ turnkey service. The complete turnkey solution can include comprehensive design support, vehicles, financing options, battery leasing, customised management system platforms (including smart charging software developed in-house), charging infrastructure solutions provided by Enel X Way, depot construction, renewable energy sources, virtual power plant integration, including demand response schemes and smart mobility services.
