Enel X Way, Enel’s company dedicated to electric mobility, has signed a memorandum of understanding with UrbanV, a company specialising in Advanced Air Mobility, to leverage their respective expertise in order to develop synergies on joint projects at a global level, studying energy solutions for UrbanV’s vertiports, which will allow eVTOLs, the electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft, to be recharged in a sustainable manner. The company says projects will focus on the study and implementation of Enel X Way electricity infrastructures integrated with storage systems in vertiports, dedicated eVTOL hubs, the definition of specific use cases and a customer experience to be adapted to the needs of different markets.
In a press release the company reports further “The agreement will enable the realisation of fast, completely green, large-scale public transport and will lead to the implementation of innovative and sustainable Enel X Way recharging infrastructures in UrbanV’s vertiports on a global scale, starting with Rome and Fiumicino. Electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft use only electricity to travel through the use of electric motors and batteries, which are the winning choice to respond to the growing attention and demand for this sector of electric mobility globally, both for their sustainability and practicality of travel, as an alternative to road vehicles.
“Compared to helicopters, eVTOLs have a 35% lower operating cost according to industry estimates and could become an economical and sustainable alternative to road transport, especially in busy cities. A reality that is already catching on in Italy, where UrbanV recently inaugurated the first test vertiport at Fiumicino airport, enabling the first flight of a piloted eVTOL. Soon everyone will be able to enjoy the experience of travelling to a vertiport and boarding an eVTOL and Enel X Way will provide the technological infrastructure that will enable the management of vertiports and the recharging of these flying taxis. After an initial test phase, the service will be operational as early as 2024, enabling passengers to make fast, emission-free flights in urban settings.”
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(Image: Enel X Way)