ABB builds facility for EV chargers in Italy

A new facility for electric vehicle chargers is being developed by ABB in San Giovanni Valdarno, Italy.

The $30 million, 16,000 m² facility will serve as a global Centre of Excellence and production site for electric vehicle charging infrastructure. It is expected to be operational by the end of 2021.

The project follows a $10 million investment in a new fully sustainable, global e-mobility headquarters and research and development (R&D) centre built on the TU Delft Campus, Heertjeslaan, The Netherlands, which is set to officially launch later this year.

The new plant will produce ABB’s entire portfolio of direct current (DC) electric vehicle battery chargers, from domestic systems to systems for installation in public areas and those dedicated to urban public transport. It will also help to further support ABB’s growth and innovation in the e-mobility sector.

“Today represents a significant milestone in our e-mobility business. At ABB we have been driving progress in the sector for more than a decade and this new state-of-the-art facility will contribute significantly to further advancing the global move towards zero-emission electric mobility,” said Giampiero Frisio, Head of ABB’s Smart Power Division.

The new facility will be characterised by the integration of ABB Ability digital solutions. This will allow complete visibility and optimisation of the production of every individual product, and interconnect automated warehouse management systems with factory departments. Automated equipment for the assembly of printed circuit boards and monitoring and testing systems will be connected to the factory information system.

R&D activities will take place in a dedicated 3200 m² space for development and prototyping. They will focus on the implementation of innovative solutions, new software and product life cycle management tools to fully integrate R&D activities with manufacturing activities, both internally and with external electronic manufacturing services.

Meanwhile, the integration of renewable energy sources such as solar panels on the roof, an optimised heating and cooling system, and the introduction of an electric fleet of vehicles for employees, logistics, sales and service teams will help to reduce the environmental impact of the facility.

“As global demand for sustainable transport continues to increase, this new facility will ensure that ABB can meet that demand and remains the go-to provider for our end-to-end e-mobility solutions,” said Frank Muehlon, Head of ABB’s Global Business for E-mobility Infrastructure Solutions.