Electrifying Tuscany’s bus fleet and 120 logistics sites.
Although the share of newly registered electric vehicles in Italy compared with the country’s total vehicle fleet is still far below the figures seen in Germany, France or the Scandinavian countries, significant growth is expected in this area. By the end of the decade, more than 280,000 electric vehicles are expected to be on Italian roads, including 10,000 e-buses. As for electric freight transport, the number of e-trucks entering service more than doubled in a single year, although in absolute terms this still represents only a few hundred vehicles. Two recently announced partnerships could help accelerate this transition, with Siemens’ EV charging infrastructure selected to support the decarbonization of both public transport and the logistics sector.
Autolinee Toscane, the public transport operator serving Florence, Prato and Lucca in northern Tuscany, has installed 73 SICHARGE UC DC chargers, each delivering 100–150 kW of power, to support the rollout of its zero-emission bus fleet. The chargers are capable of rapidly charging even large electric vehicles. For optimized charging management that takes into account bus routes and current battery levels, the company will use Siemens’ DepotFinity software platform, which enables charging operations to be monitored and controlled and bus maintenance to be scheduled.
The other order came from IPLANET, a company providing energy transition solutions. As part of the project, more than 120 logistics sites have been equipped with several hundred Siemens DC chargers delivering 300–400 kW of power. Each charger can be monitored remotely, while the charging stations have been equipped with integrated bank card payment systems (POS terminals), as well as activation via mobile applications or QR codes, in compliance with the EU’s Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR). These functions can be managed via a user-friendly, interactive touchscreen.
In addition, for both projects, the technology company supplied medium- and low-voltage power distribution solutions equipped with IoT-enabled modules for the depots and logistics centers. At the logistics sites, compact, remotely controllable transformer substations have also been installed, enabling the integration of renewable energy sources. The company is also providing turnkey solutions, including solar power generation and battery energy storage systems.