With the opening of the company’s largest fast-charging DC charger manufacturing facility to date, the E-Mobility Center of Excellence in Valdarno, Tuscany, Italy, ABB’s E-Mobility Division is consolidating its position as a global leader in electric vehicle charging solutions.
The plant will produce ABB’s full range of DC charging solutions, contributing to the electrification of all transport sectors and confirming ABB E-mobility’s commitment to a zero-emission future with smart and reliable charging solutions for electric vehicles.
Along with a $30 million investment in the new factory, production capacity has doubled over the past two years, and 680,000 more electric car chargers have been sold in 85 global markets than before. The 16,000 square meter Valdarno factory will be able to produce more than 10,000 additional chargers per year.
The opening of the Valdarno production facility confirms the commitment of ABB’s E-mobility division to create a zero-emissions future. In addition to increasing production capacity, the investment in the Valdarno plant will drive research and innovation, confirming our reputation as a world leader in electric vehicle charging solutions. We will continue to offer e-mobility solutions not only for today’s vehicles, but also for tomorrow’s vehicles.
Frank Mühlon, Head of ABB E-Mobility Division
The state-of-the-art production facility has set a new level of standards for the entire industry, with seven production lines producing one DC fast charger every 20 minutes. 15 test rigs are capable of simulating more than 400 charging sessions per day, while integrated automation solutions connect the manufacturing plant to an innovative automated warehouse, ensuring optimized inventory control, full traceability and efficient operations.
Also, the new production facility will continue to develop innovative E-mobility solutions. By investing 14% of the 2021 revenue in research and development, a 3,200 square meter space has been created in Valdarno, where prototypes will be developed. Prototyping, innovative solutions, new software and product lifecycle management tools to fully integrate research and development activities with production will be handled by 70 employees out of a 500-strong workforce. ABB E-mobility employs more than 350 R&D professionals worldwide and holds more than 350 patents.
Also, an important goal of the Valdarno production plant is to obtain a gold level LEED certificate – a globally recognized system for evaluating environmentally friendly buildings, evaluating both the design, construction and operation of the building. Rainwater is used for irrigation, 100% of production waste is recycled, the necessary energy is obtained from certified renewable sources, including a photovoltaic system that produces 720 MWh of electricity per year and 338 tons less CO2.
Electricity distribution is optimized thanks to ABB’s Ability Energy and Asset Manager, a platform that monitors and effectively manages more than 9,000 devices across the facility, including heating, lighting and ventilation equipment, and can save 60% of energy compared to traditional solutions.
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