IVECO BUS Provides Alternative Drive Buses at the Inauguration FCA's V2G (Vehicle-to-Grid) Plant

Sep 21, 2020 5:30 PM ET
The IVECO BUS E-WAY, a full electric bus, was used to transported invited guests around FCA’s new V2G plant

At Fiat Chrysler Automobiles’ V2G pilot plant opening at the Company’s Mirafiori plant in Turin, Italy, IVECO BUS had a key role.

The initiative is aimed at two-way interaction between FCA full electric vehicles and the power grid. In addition to recharging cars, the project will use their batteries to provide grid stabilization services. The vehicle batteries are capable of storing energy and, using the V2G infrastructure, can return it to the grid when needs be. This represents an opportunity to optimize the operating costs of the cars – for the benefit of motorists – and a concrete possibility of contributing to a more sustainable electricity system.

In its final configuration, the project will be capable of supplying up to 25 MW of regulatory capacity, making it the largest V2G facility ever built in the world. In addition, by aggregating with other FCA “assets” at Mirafiori – including 5 MW of solar panel capacity – this V2G infrastructure will become a true Virtual Power Plant, indeed the most innovative in Italy.

But it is not only passenger cars which are compatible which such infrastructure, during this inauguration, guests were whisked around the site on a full electric, IVECO BUS E-WAY model and by a natural gas Crossway NP Low Entry bus. IVECO BUS, the bus and coach brand of CNH Industrial N.V., is a leader in alternative propulsion busses, and was the perfect fit for this event.

The IVECO E-WAY represents the latest technological evolution of zero emission electromobility. Equipped with a 120/195 KW electric motor and 360 NMC lithium-ion batteries installed on the roof and in the tailgate, a full day’s autonomy is achieved with a mere six hour charge.

The Italian Minister of Economic Development Stefano Patuanelli, together with representatives of the parliamentary committees, officials from the Region of Piedmont and the City of Turin were present at the inauguration.