Special Interview with the CEO of Generale Sistemi on the In-Presa system. An article describing the history and prospects of a brand that has become a reference point in the market for VE-Recharge systems
Special Interview with the CEO of Generale Sistemi on the In-Presa system. An article describing the history and prospects of a brand that has become a reference point in the market for VE-Recharge systems
We talked about the future of recharging systems with Adolfo Deltodesco, owner of In-prese, a Tuscan company that fully entered the electric vehicle market in 2007, starting important projects, such as Car Sharing Ci.Ro in Naples, recharging for the taxi fleet in Rome and many other important initiatives.
• Lara Morandotti
Dr. Deltodesco, first request. How and why was the In-Presa project born?
We were driven by the desire to find a unique and innovative solution that would solve charging problems for all electric vehicles, from bikes to cars. Following the spread of charging stations for electric vehicles in the city of Florence, we realized that there was no standard and so we started a critical analysis on the type of network to be activated. Creating smart sockets with our electronic boards and software to identify access to the infrastructure has become the goal of the project. A far-sighted forecast if we think that In-Presa was born already in 2007 in times that are not suspicious compared to the visibility currently enjoyed by this sector.
Can you tell us what it is?
In a nutshell, In-Presa is a recognition and recharging system for 2 and 4-wheel electric vehicles, supplied through the single OEM control board or through the complete system for recharging on columns, panels or bars. As an innovation, we also boast the patent of the tag in the RFID plug and the reader in the socket.
We talked about the future of recharging systems with Adolfo Deltodesco, owner of In-prese, a Tuscan company that fully entered the electric vehicle market in 2007, starting important projects, such as Car Sharing Ci.Ro in Naples, recharging for the taxi fleet in Rome and many other important initiatives.
• Lara Morandotti
Dr. Deltodesco, first request. How and why was the In-Presa project born?
We were driven by the desire to find a unique and innovative solution that would solve charging problems for all electric vehicles, from bikes to cars. Following the spread of charging stations for electric vehicles in the city of Florence, we realized that there was no standard and so we started a critical analysis on the type of network to be activated. Creating smart sockets with our electronic boards and software to identify access to the infrastructure has become the goal of the project. A far-sighted forecast if we think that In-Presa was born already in 2007 in times that are not suspicious compared to the visibility currently enjoyed by this sector.
Can you tell us what it is?
In a nutshell, In-Presa is a recognition and recharging system for 2 and 4-wheel electric vehicles, supplied through the single OEM control board or through the complete system for recharging on columns, panels or bars. As an innovation, we also boast the patent of the tag in the RFID plug and the reader in the socket.
We talked about the future of recharging systems with Adolfo Deltodesco, owner of In-prese, a Tuscan company that fully entered the electric vehicle market in 2007, starting important projects, such as Car Sharing Ci.Ro in Naples, recharging for the taxi fleet in Rome and many other important initiatives.
• Lara Morandotti
Dr. Deltodesco, first request. How and why was the In-Presa project born?
We were driven by the desire to find a unique and innovative solution that would solve charging problems for all electric vehicles, from bikes to cars. Following the spread of charging stations for electric vehicles in the city of Florence, we realized that there was no standard and so we started a critical analysis on the type of network to be activated. Creating smart sockets with our electronic boards and software to identify access to the infrastructure has become the goal of the project. A far-sighted forecast if we think that In-Presa was born already in 2007 in times that are not suspicious compared to the visibility currently enjoyed by this sector.
Can you tell us what it is?
In a nutshell, In-Presa is a recognition and recharging system for 2 and 4-wheel electric vehicles, supplied through the single OEM control board or through the complete system for recharging on columns, panels or bars. As an innovation, we also boast the patent of the tag in the RFID plug and the reader in the socket.
How do you position yourself on the market?
We currently figure above all as the technology suppliers of the major companies that produce charging stations, including Scame, ABB, Bosch, Siemens, Repower and Giulio Barbieri. With these players, we have more than 2,000 recharging points on the market equipped with our card and controller, from simple recharging in a private area to the network of stations connected in smart grid. We also have a series of In-Presa brand products and services dedicated to bike sharing, car sharing, fleet management and charging in car parks, from island shelters with charging bars to Wallboxes. Furthermore, among the few in Italy, we design custom systems for companies interested in creating their own services and products for the Green sector. I can also anticipate that we are setting up an important network of companies that will position itself as a major player at national level, and we believe European, for the offer of integrated recharging systems. Isn’t the management of the columns from a smart grid perspective a crucial element? Absolutely yes. Just think about how the intelligent use of charging infrastructures could be advantageous in environments where there is a need for electricity by several people, such as campsites and ports. The network control, through specific software inside the smart sockets, also serves to manage and limit the current absorption, from a power management perspective. But smart grid does not mean wild installation of columns.
So you don’t see cities full of infrastructure in the next few years?
Equipping cities with charging points is correct, but equipping them with charging stations is not. From an economic point of view it is a failure, a charging station bills around 3 euros a day, while its installation costs from 5 to 7 thousand euros and is constantly at the mercy of vandalism. In view of an increase in electric vehicles, it would take as many columns as light poles and it is not sensible. So I don’t see the future of charging infrastructure on the streets in any way, but in parking lots, at interchange points and at home. One of the objectives that we immediately set ourselves with In-Presa is to design systems that have the economic sustainability of investments as their goal. Many of the solutions that today are adopted for example by administrations are unfortunately guided by different logics, often in good faith of course, but even more often bankruptcy.
The possibility offered by the interchange parking lots seems interesting …
Exact. The last mile acquires a very important role in defining the need for recharging, especially in urban areas where an average of 8 km traveled per person per day for commuting. Think about how it would be useful to have charging infrastructures in interchange parking lots, the link that could connect the path from home to the station, for example. The recharge could be regulated by collecting a ticket with a barcode that activates it and then our software would transfer the amount of the charge to the cash desk. Generale Sistemi’s core business has always been in car parks, so we know well what it means to integrate these realities with new mobility needs. Of course this requires involving more actors than the simple environmental office of an administration but the results in terms of success are exponentially greater.
It seems a particularly suitable solution also for bicycles …
That’s right. In any station you can see bicycles attached to the poles, let’s think about how it could be strategic to build “solarbike stations”, perhaps powered by photovoltaics, where to shelter, recharge and even fix the bicycles, implementing a sort of bicycle workshop. This would create jobs at no cost.
How to come to the realization of this dream?
We are looking for financial partners and, after identifying the most appropriate area, we ask for a concession for 30 years from public institutions. Developing this business model concretely encourages sustainable mobility and therefore also allows municipal administrations to contribute to the achievement of EU objectives against pollution. I use the present not by chance because it is not a dream, we were among the first to export this concept to Italy and right now several yards with these solutions are already being completed.
A feasibility estimate?
Each structure with 500 bike spaces will involve an investment of 300 thousand euros, with a lease of 2 thousand euros per month and a profitability estimated at 10-20 thousand euros per month. We expect to create 20 to 50 bike station structures within 2 years.
Are there any projects that already see your contribution?
Among the many we like to point out the Ci.Ro Car Sharing in Naples, the charging for the taxi fleet in Rome, the highest bike sharing in Europe that connects the shelters of the Dolomites, we are installing columns with ABB in the city of Padua and we are supporting the municipality of Lucca in the cycle motorway project along the Via Francigena.
How do you position yourself on the market?
We currently figure above all as the technology suppliers of the major companies that produce charging stations, including Scame, ABB, Bosch, Siemens, Repower and Giulio Barbieri. With these players, we have more than 2,000 recharging points on the market equipped with our card and controller, from simple recharging in a private area to the network of stations connected in smart grid. We also have a series of In-Presa brand products and services dedicated to bike sharing, car sharing, fleet management and charging in car parks, from island shelters with charging bars to Wallboxes. Furthermore, among the few in Italy, we design custom systems for companies interested in creating their own services and products for the Green sector. I can also anticipate that we are setting up an important network of companies that will position itself as a major player at national level, and we believe European, for the offer of integrated recharging systems. Isn’t the management of the columns from a smart grid perspective a crucial element? Absolutely yes. Just think about how the intelligent use of charging infrastructures could be advantageous in environments where there is a need for electricity by several people, such as campsites and ports. The network control, through specific software inside the smart sockets, also serves to manage and limit the current absorption, from a power management perspective. But smart grid does not mean wild installation of columns.
So you don’t see cities full of infrastructure in the next few years?
Equipping cities with charging points is correct, but equipping them with charging stations is not. From an economic point of view it is a failure, a charging station bills around 3 euros a day, while its installation costs from 5 to 7 thousand euros and is constantly at the mercy of vandalism. In view of an increase in electric vehicles, it would take as many columns as light poles and it is not sensible. So I don’t see the future of charging infrastructure on the streets in any way, but in parking lots, at interchange points and at home. One of the objectives that we immediately set ourselves with In-Presa is to design systems that have the economic sustainability of investments as their goal. Many of the solutions that today are adopted for example by administrations are unfortunately guided by different logics, often in good faith of course, but even more often bankruptcy.
The possibility offered by the interchange parking lots seems interesting …
Exact. The last mile acquires a very important role in defining the need for recharging, especially in urban areas where an average of 8 km traveled per person per day for commuting. Think about how it would be useful to have charging infrastructures in interchange parking lots, the link that could connect the path from home to the station, for example. The recharge could be regulated by collecting a ticket with a barcode that activates it and then our software would transfer the amount of the charge to the cash desk. Generale Sistemi’s core business has always been in car parks, so we know well what it means to integrate these realities with new mobility needs. Of course this requires involving more actors than the simple environmental office of an administration but the results in terms of success are exponentially greater.
It seems a particularly suitable solution also for bicycles …
That’s right. In any station you can see bicycles attached to the poles, let’s think about how it could be strategic to build “solarbike stations”, perhaps powered by photovoltaics, where to shelter, recharge and even fix the bicycles, implementing a sort of bicycle workshop. This would create jobs at no cost.
How to come to the realization of this dream?
We are looking for financial partners and, after identifying the most appropriate area, we ask for a concession for 30 years from public institutions. Developing this business model concretely encourages sustainable mobility and therefore also allows municipal administrations to contribute to the achievement of EU objectives against pollution. I use the present not by chance because it is not a dream, we were among the first to export this concept to Italy and right now several yards with these solutions are already being completed.
A feasibility estimate?
Each structure with 500 bike spaces will involve an investment of 300 thousand euros, with a lease of 2 thousand euros per month and a profitability estimated at 10-20 thousand euros per month. We expect to create 20 to 50 bike station structures within 2 years.
Are there any projects that already see your contribution?
Among the many we like to point out the Ci.Ro Car Sharing in Naples, the charging for the taxi fleet in Rome, the highest bike sharing in Europe that connects the shelters of the Dolomites, we are installing columns with ABB in the city of Padua and we are supporting the municipality of Lucca in the cycle motorway project along the Via Francigena.