EuropaWire Online News – Page 85 – I wish I had more to offer

Enel now with 130 Fast Recharge charging stations installed along long-distance roads in Italy and Austria

ROME, 22-Jan-2019 — /EuropaWire/ — Enel has installed 130 Fast Recharge charging stations, equal to 260 recharging points, which are now operating along the long-distance roads of Italy and Austria as part of the EVA+ project (Electric Vehicles Arteries).

Operational in Italy and Austria, the 50kW Fast Recharge charging stations, which are compatible with all electric vehicles on the market, allow users to fully charge their vehicles in about 20 minutes. The charging infrastructure in Italy has been developed entirely by Enel and the system is compatible with all electric vehicles currently on the market and is in full compliance with international standards in the field of electric mobility.

The charging infrastructure is mainly located in areas adjacent to motorway entrances so it can also be used by people who use electric vehicles for long-distance journeys with stops compatible with charging times, in places such as shopping centres. Customers can use the Enel X Recharge app to locate the EVA+ stations in Italy and recharge their cars in a few simple steps.

EVA+ is the European project for the development of electric mobility that envisages the installation of 200 fast charging stations (180 in Italy and 20 in Austria) along extra-urban routes over three years. The programme, which is co-financed by the European Commission as part of the “Connecting Europe Facility”, involves Enel, as coordinator, and Verbund (the main Austrian utility), together with some of the leading manufacturers of electric vehicles in the world, such as Renault, Nissan, BMW Group and Volkswagen Group Italia (represented by the Volkswagen and Audi brands).

About one year after the start of the project, 110 stations (with 220 charging points) are in operation in Italy and 20 stations (with 40 charging points) in Austria.

About one year after the start of the project, 110 stations are in operation in Italy and 20 stations in Austria

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SOURCE: Enel

Groupe PSA opens new assembly line for the Turbo PureTech 3-cylinder petrol engine in Tychy, Poland

The Tychy plant (Poland) benefited from € 250 million in investments to improve its performance and manufacture the 1.2 litreTurbo PureTech engine
A modernized plant implementing Groupe PSA process and quality standards
Production capacity projected up to 460,000 engines to handle increasing customer demand for petrol engines

PARIS, 18-Jan-2019 — /EuropaWire/ — Today (17/01/2019), Groupe PSA inaugurated the new assembly line for the Turbo PureTech 3-cylinder petrol engine in Tychy at a ceremony attended by Jadwiga Emilewicz, Poland’s Minister of Entrepreneurship and Technology, Carlos Tavares, Chairman of the Managing Board of Groupe PSA, local authorities, the plant’s management and all its employees.

The powertrain plant in Tychy was modernized to boost its performance in line with Groupe PSA standards: New technologies and equipment, supported by new IT systems, ensure a high quality of production with appropriate trainings provided to production teams. Performance of our industrial organisation is also enhanced, by locating component plants close to vehicle factories.

“The factory in Tychy is back in the game as a part of Groupe PSA and all the teams are committed to meeting the new challenges set for us. The plant has been thoroughly modernized with the right level of investment to ensure the best level of efficiency, among the most modern engine manufacturing sites in Europe. We are proud to contribute to the shift to low-emission PureTech petrol engines,” said Arkadiusz Suliga, Tychy plant director.

“I would like to highlight that the Tychy teams have demonstrated their ability to improve their performance, thus allowing for investments to modernize the plant and allocate a state-of-the-art engine. The Tychy plant has a sustainable future now and will be a strong contributor to the Groupe PSA manufacturing footprint, organized to produce engines for our five brands and meeting growing customer demand for this award-winning engine,” said Carlos Tavares, Chairman of the Managing Board of Groupe PSA.

3.8 million EB engines have been produced to date and this additional capacity corresponds to increasing market demand, supported in particular by production of new Opel/Vauxhall models on Groupe PSA platforms and technology. This highly efficient engine contributes to the reduction of the CO2 emission with an average fuel consumption reduced by 4% compared to the previous generation.

With this new assembly line, the EB Turbo PureTech petrol engine – awarded International Engine of the Year four times in a row – is gradually becoming a global-scale engine for Groupe PSA. The EB Engine (Atmo and Turbo) is currently produced in France (Douvrin, Tremery) and China (Xiangyang) and, from 2019 onwards, will be produced in Hungary (Szentgotthard), Morocco (Kenitra), and from 2020 in India (Hosur).

MEDIA CONTACT

+33 (0)1 55 94 81 00 / psa-presse@mpsa.com

SOURCE: Groupe PSA

Rolls-Royce Cullinan and Dawn open ski season in Courchevel 1850

Rolls-Royce Cullinan opens ski season to serve clients during winter months
Cullinan will be joined by Dawn in Courchevel 1850
Continued evolution of Rolls-Royce’s innovative Social Hotspot Programme

The marque will return to the spectacular Le Lana Hotel in the key weeks of the European winter sports season (18 February – 10 March).

GOODWOOD, 18-Jan-2019— /EuropaWire/ — Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, commented, “Connoisseurs of true luxury visit Courchevel 1850 in the pursuit of memorable experiences. Rolls-Royce understands that these are tenets of true luxury and offers to enrich the lives of our clients by hosting this season-long studio in one of the most revered ski resorts in the world.”

Julian Jenkins, Regional Director, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, adds, “Our presence here is indicative of the marque’s unique approach to connecting with its audience – truly bespoke and a reflection of the brand’s deep understanding of its customers. Furthermore, we are thrilled to have the opportunity to demonstrate that Cullinan is truly Effortless Everywhere in this beautiful and challenging environment.”

The success of The House of Rolls-Royce is built on an intimate understanding of the lifestyles of its patrons. Therefore, the marque fundamentally believes in serving a gentle presence in the world’s most luxurious enclaves, ensuring existing owners and those wishing to learn more about the brand are never without the benefit of a Rolls-Royce.

In this spirit, Rolls-Royce continues to evolve its innovative Social Hotspot programme in 2019 in the highly exclusive Alpine resort of Courchevel 1850. Here, existing and prospective patrons of the marque can experience the remarkable capability of the new Rolls-Royce Cullinan, on-piste and off-piste, as well as Dawn, the brand’s beautiful Drophead Coupé, in an exclusive environment befitting the brand.

Courchevel 1850
The marque will return to the spectacular Le Lana Hotel in the key weeks of the European winter sports season (18 February – 10 March). An exquisite collection of Bespoke motor cars and lifestyle accoutrements will be based in this historic former chalet adjacent to the Bellecôte piste in the globally celebrated ‘Les Troise Vallées’ ski region.

By day, clients can experience Cullinan on and off-road, as well as Dawn, the most social Drophead Coupé ever created. By night, guests are invited to join exclusive gatherings, curated to enlighten and inform, in the company of fellow connoisseurs of true luxury.

For those compelled to begin their Bespoke journey in Courchevel 1850 itself, a Bespoke commissioning suite is situated at the nearby Six Senses Residences. Crafted from local timber by London-based interior design house Morpheus, the remarkable location provides an exquisite setting from which to create a Rolls-Royce motor car alongside the brand’s peerless design team.

In addition, guests of Courchevel 1850’s élite Hôtel Les Airelles will be able to enjoy a chauffeur-driven Cullinan to and from the piste for the duration of the 2019 season.

PRESS CONTACT.

Matthew Jones
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
Tel: +44 (0)7815 245929
send an e-mail

SOURCE: Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

ASSA ABLOY to acquire a leading supplier of electronic and mechanical key management systems in the US

STOCKHOLM, 14-Jan-2019 — /EuropaWire/ — ASSA ABLOY has signed an agreement to acquire KEYper Systems, a leading supplier of electronic and mechanical key management systems in the US with a strong presence in the automotive segment.

KEYper Systems was established in 1993 and has approximately 25 employees. The head office is located in Harrisburg, North Carolina.

Sales for 2019 are expected to reach about USD 22 million (approx. SEK 195 million) with a good EBIT margin and the acquisition will be accretive to EPS from start.

The acquisition is conditional upon satisfaction of customary closing conditions and is expected to close during the first quarter of 2019.

“I am very pleased to welcome KEYper Systems into the ASSA ABLOY Group. The acquisition of KEYper Systems enhances our global product offering in this area and will provide synergy opportunities in North America and other markets,” says Nico Delvaux, President and CEO of ASSA ABLOY.

“KEYper Systems will complement our products within intelligent key and asset management solutions offered by Traka, which is part of the business unit ASSA ABLOY Global Solutions (previously Hospitality) as of 1 January 2019. The acquisition will also strengthen our position and installed based in the US as well as provide an attractive opportunity to accelerate our global growth,” says Christophe Sut, Executive Vice President and Head of Global Technologies business unit ASSA ABLOY Global Solutions.

For more information, please contact:

Nico Delvaux, President and CEO, tel. no: +46 8 506 485 82
Björn Tibell, Head of Investor Relations, tel. no: +46 70 275 67 68

About ASSA ABLOY

ASSA ABLOY is the global leader in door opening solutions, dedicated to satisfying end‑user needs for security, safety and convenience. Since its formation in 1994, ASSA ABLOY has grown from a regional company into an international group with about 47,500 employees, operations in more than 70 countries and sales of SEK 76 billion. In the fast-growing electromechanical security segment, the Group has a leading position in areas such as access control, identification technology, entrance automation and hotel security.

SOURCE: ASSA ABLOY

Continental’s 4Q bolstered in part by strong sales of winter tires and the positive market development in the non-automotive industrial business

Continental AG

Stable operating performance in fourth quarter as expected
Annual sales rise to around €44.4 billion (organic growth at about 3 percent)
Adjusted EBIT for the year: around €4.1 billion (margin at about 9.2 percent)
Free cash flow was higher than expected at about €1.8 billion
2019 outlook: Consolidated sales of about €45 to €47 billion at constant exchange rates, adjusted EBIT margin of about 8 to 9 percent
Powertrain division successfully transformed into an independent group of legal entities

HANOVER, Germany/ DETRIOT, MI, USA/ NEW YORK, NY, USA, 14-Jan-2019 — /EuropaWire/ — Continental has achieved its targets for the previous fiscal year. Despite declining automotive markets, the technology company continued to grow profitably. The DAX-listed company announced that its operating performance was as expected in the fourth quarter. The final quarter was bolstered in part by strong sales of winter tires and the positive market development in the non-automotive industrial business.

“We achieved a respectable result and achieved our adjusted annual targets. We are continuing to grow profitably. As feared, the decline of the automotive markets intensified significantly once again in the fourth quarter. This, combined with the profound changes in our industries, is reducing our growth rate,” said Continental CEO, Dr. Elmar Degenhart, explaining the preliminary results for the year. “Against this backdrop, the strong performance of our around 244,000 employees at Continental worldwide is all the more remarkable. On behalf of the entire Executive Board, I would like to express my thanks for the outstanding commitment of our global team in 2018.”

Furthermore, the DAX-listed company also transformed its Powertrain division into an independent group of legal entities on schedule at the start of 2019, as announced. A possible partial IPO by the middle of the year is now being prepared.

In its automotive, tire and industrial business areas, the international technology manufacturer is forecasting global consolidated sales of about €45 to €47 billion at constant exchange rates and an adjusted EBIT margin of about 8 to 9 percent for the current fiscal year. Continental’s outlook is based in part on the assumption that the global production volume of cars and light commercial vehicles in 2019 will be about the same as that of the previous year.

Continental will release its preliminary 2018 business figures on March 7, 2019, as part of its annual financial press conference to be broadcast online.

Cautious market outlook

Continental believes the declining market development is likely to continue unchanged in the first half of 2019. “The main reasons for this are the continued weak demand in China, the trade dispute between the U.S.A. and China, and further decreases in call-offs as a result of the switch to WLTP in Europe. There is also the general uncertainty around Brexit,” said Continental CFO Wolfgang Schäfer, explaining the market outlook. In the second half of the year, the company expects slight market growth in comparison with the low baseline of the previous year: “For fiscal 2019, we expect the production volume of cars and light commercial vehicle to be on a par with the previous year,” said Schäfer.

Future annual forecasts in terms of ranges

For the current fiscal year, Continental is expecting sales of about €45 to €47 billion with constant exchange rates and an adjusted EBIT margin of about 8 to 9 percent across the entire corporation.

The Continental Corporation’s preliminary key data for fiscal 2018
© Continental AG

“We have decided to express the expectations we have for our business development in ranges, as is usual in our industry,” said Schäfer. The reason for this is that it is becoming much more difficult to predict the development of the ever-more volatile market environment with pinpoint accuracy. “In phases of such profound technological transformation in the automotive industry as at present and an increasingly ambiguous unstable economic environment, precise forecasts suggest an accuracy that is simply no longer possible,” Schäfer added.

Continental’s growth again higher than market in the fourth quarter

According to preliminary key figures, the reported sales growth for 2018 as a whole amounted to about 1 percent year-on-year (organic growth: about 3 percent). Consolidated sales thus increased to around €44.4 billion. The adjusted EBIT margin came to about 9.2 percent, which is equivalent to adjusted operating earnings of around €4.1 billion. In the fourth quarter, Continental generated sales of around €11.25 billion, which is the same level as the same quarter of the previous year. Adjusted EBIT amounted to around €1.1 billion in the final quarter of 2018 and the adjusted EBIT margin came to about 9.7 percent. At around €1.8 billion, free cash flow adjusted for acquisitions and funding of U.S. pension obligations exceeded expectations.

Adjusted for changes in the scope of consolidation and exchange rates, Continental’s sales growth was about 3 percent in the past fiscal year. This positive development was countered by further declines in the global production of passenger cars and light commercial vehicles, which materialized as feared and amounted to -1 percent in 2018, based on preliminary data. In the fourth quarter of 2018, global production decreased as well, down 4 percent year-on-year.

Powertrain successfully transformed into an independent group of legal entities

“After this initial key milestone in our realignment, we are now working at full steam to prepare for the partial IPO of our successful powertrain business, which could be possible from mid-2019,” said Degenhart, expressing his satisfaction.

On January 1, 2019, as announced, Continental completed the transformation of its Powertrain division into an independent group of legal entities on schedule. The new legal entity, whose new name is to be announced soon, is to be prepared for a possible partial IPO by the middle of the year. This move is part of one of the largest organizational changes in the technology company’s history.

The realignment provides for the creation of a holding structure of Continental AG under the new “Continental Group” umbrella brand. It will be supported by three group sectors, namely “Continental Rubber,” “Continental Automotive” and “Powertrain” The reporting structure and the new names are to be used starting 2020.

“Our realignment is a response to the profound changes in the automotive industry and the associated challenges,” said Degenhart. Continental is enjoying great growth potential thanks to new technologies, larger customer orders and new opportunities in software solutions and services. “We are realigning our organization to technological challenges and changing market requirements at an early stage. We are focusing our expertise and thus programming Continental for a successful future,” he added.

SOURCE: Continental AG

MEDIA CONTACTS
Henry Schniewind
Spokesman, Business & Finance
Phone: +49 511 938-1278
E-mail: henry.schniewind@conti.de

Vincent Charles
Head of Media Relations
Phone: +49 511 938-1364
E-mail: vincent.charles@conti.de

Clients can get involved in the assembly of their own e-Golf at Volkswagen Transparent Factory in Dresden

One of the three places where customers could get involved: joining the drive train to the body (“marriage”).

Follow your own vehicle during production
Four stations at which the driver can assemble the car (with instructions)
Arnd Meyer-Clasen, Head of Sales: “With us, not only are customers able to be there during the production of their car, but can now also get involved themselves.”

DRESDEN, 11-Jan-2019 — /EuropaWire/ — The opportunity to follow production can be booked when ordering the e-Golf from the dealer. Appointments can be made during the production time, i.e. Monday to Friday, 6:00 am to 10:00 pm. The special experience package costs EUR 390. In addition to following production, this includes inner-city transfers, a tour of the production and exhibition area, souvenir photos and a voucher of EUR 50 for a restaurant visit to the e-VITRUM.

Customers can now get a much closer look at their e-Golf during production. In the Transport Factory, you can accompany your future vehicle a part of the way along the production line. Under the expert guidance of the factory’s employees, the customer is able to actively get involved at four stations, e.g. when installing the dash panel. Other places where the customer can experience the assembly of their vehicle include joining the drive train to the body (“marriage”) and installing the front radiator grille. With the new possibility of accompanying production, the Volkswagen Transparent Factory in Dresden is expanding its range of services in respect of the electric mobility experience.

Arnd Meyer-Clasen, Head of Sales: “The Transparent Factory is the showcase of e-mobility of Volkswagen. In addition to test drives, configuration and delivery of the e-Golf, another highlight we now offer is the ability to follow production. With us, not only are customers able to be there during the production of their car, but can also get involved themselves. Electric mobility that you can touch: this experience is unique in the automotive world.”

MEDIA CONTACT
Dr. Carsten Krebs
Tel. +49 (0) 351 / 420-4245
Send Email

SOURCE: Volkswagen AG

Leading manufacturing ERP software company IQMS acquired by Dassault Systèmes for $425 million

VELIZY-VILLACOUBLAY, 09-Jan-2019 — /EuropaWire/ — Dassault Systèmes (Euronext Paris: #13065, DSY.PA) today announced the completion of the acquisition of IQMS, a leading manufacturing ERP software company, for $425 million. With the acquisition of the California-based IQMS, Dassault Systèmes extends the 3DEXPERIENCE platform to small and midsized manufacturing companies seeking to digitally transform their business operations.

By integrating IQMS’s solutions into the 3DEXPERIENCE platform on the cloud, Dassault Systèmes will provide these manufacturers with an affordable system for operations that improves the collaboration, manufacturing efficiency and business agility needed to serve their customers successfully. The manufacturers – many of them SOLIDWORKS users – also gain the flexibility to rapidly scale-up as a business grows. In parallel, these manufacturers can engage in new business opportunities and create value by supplying their manufacturing know-how and services to a large community of designers and engineers in Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE Marketplace – the world’s largest virtual factory.

Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE platform to become the business operations platform for small and midsized manufacturers seeking digital transformation in today’s Industry Renaissance.

In the context of the Industry Renaissance – the convergence of a diverse and powerful collection of digital technologies that is transforming every aspect of industrial business – the world’s 250,000 small and midsized manufacturers must adopt and optimize new ways of producing and doing business through digital transformation in order to innovate and accelerate their growth in an increasingly competitive, global marketplace.

“We must no longer think of industry as a set of means of production, but as a process of value creation. This applies not only to disruptive startups and established corporations, but also to the hundreds of thousands of mainstream manufacturers that produce parts integral to the development of new consumer experiences. In that context, we are creating ‘3DEXPERIENCE@WORKS’: a new family of business applications based on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform for the mainstream market. The IQMS Manufacturing ERP portfolio rebranded as DELMIA WORKS is part of this new business applications family to serve the mainstream manufacturers,” said Bernard Charlès, Vice Chairman and CEO, Dassault Systèmes.

“Given my experience with manufacturing, finance and industry investments, I’m very excited about the future for IQMS and our relationship. This merger represents a turning point in technology for IQMS; the opportunity is immense. Companies like KKSP and all of IQMS’ manufacturing customers will reap tremendous benefit from the enterprise perspective of an international technology partner such as Dassault Systèmes. Dassault Systèmes is a leader in innovation and inspires confidence that we will have the best resources available for future growth,” said Mark Murray, CFO, KKSP Precision Machining.

IQMS’s software – on premise EnterpriseIQ and software as a service WebIQ – deliver an all-in-one solution to mid-market manufacturers for managing engineering, manufacturing and business ecosystems by digitally connecting order processing, scheduling, production and shipping processes in real time. IQMS’s solutions are used by 1,000 customers based primarily in the U.S. whose 2,000 manufacturing facilities in 20 countries produce for the automotive, industrial equipment, medical device, consumer goods, and consumer packaged goods industries. Customers include Westfall Technik, KKSP Precision Machining, AMA Plastics, Donnelly Custom Manufacturing, FlowBelow Aero Inc., Global Interconnect, Inc., Jabil Packaging Solutions, Schnipke Precision Molding, Steinwall Inc., Scientific, Inc., Sturgis Molded Products, Tribar, and Ventura Manufacturing Inc. IQMS’s 2017 revenue was around $56 million.

Dassault Systèmes will help IQMS expand its customer base by leveraging the presence in the mid-market space achieved with Dassault Systèmes’ SOLIDWORKS applications, which are delivered and supported by the company’s Professional Solutions global partner channel.

For more information:

Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE platform, 3D design software, 3D Digital Mock Up and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solutions: www.3ds.com

About Dassault Systèmes

Dassault Systèmes, the 3DEXPERIENCE Company, provides business and people with virtual universes to imagine sustainable innovations. Its world-leading solutions transform the way products are designed, produced, and supported. Dassault Systèmes’ collaborative solutions foster social innovation, expanding possibilities for the virtual world to improve the real world. The group brings value to over 220, 000 customers of all sizes, in all industries, in more than 140 countries. For more information, visit www.3ds.com

3DEXPERIENCE, the Compass logo and the 3DS logo, CATIA, SOLIDWORKS, ENOVIA, DELMIA, SIMULIA, GEOVIA, EXALEAD, 3D VIA, BIOVIA, NETVIBES and 3DEXCITE are registered trademarks of Dassault Systèmes or its subsidiaries in the US and/or other countries.

MEDIA CONTACT

Investors contacts:
Bordonado François-José / Beatrix Martinez
+33.1.61.62.69.24
investors@3DS.com

Corp/France
Arnaud Malherbe
+33 (0) 1 61 62 87 73
arnaud.malherbe@3ds.com

EMEAR
Virginie Blindenberg
+33 (0) 1 61 62 84 21
virginie.blindenberg@3ds.com

China
Grace Mu
+86 10 6536 2288
grace.mu@3ds.com

North America
Suzanne Moran
+1 (781) 810-3774
suzanne.moran@3ds.com

Japan
Yukiko Sato
+81 3 4321 3841
yukiko.sato@3ds.com

India
Santanu Bhattacharya
+91 124 457 7100
Santanu.BHATTACHARYA@3ds.com

AP South
Magdalene Tan
+65 9487 1206
magdalene.tan.contractor@3ds.com

Korea
Hyunkyung Chae
+82 2 3271 6653
hyunkyung.chae@3ds.com

SOURCE: Dassault Systèmes

Siemens Mobility’s new tram Avenio M begins service on new Line 2 in Ulm, Germany

All twelve trams handed over to SWU Verkehr GmbH
First series service for multi-articulated Avenio M
First Avenio fleet with “Siemens Tram Assistant” collision warning system

MUNICH, 10-Dec-2018 — /EuropaWire/ — The Avenio M from Siemens Mobility has begun service on the new Line 2 in Ulm, Germany. The approximately ten-kilometer long tram line, which connects Ulm’s Science City with the Kuhberg district, was officially inaugurated yesterday by SWU Verkehr GmbH. The new trams from Siemens Mobility will be used on the city’s entire tram network (Lines 1 and 2).

In May 2015, SWU Verkehr GmbH commissioned Siemens Mobility to deliver twelve multi-articulated trams from the Avenio M series. The first tram has been operating on Line 1 in Ulm since the summer of 2018, and Siemens Mobility has in the meantime handed over all twelve trams. With today’s timetable change, the new trams will officially begin scheduled passenger service on the new Line 2.

“The start of passenger service in Ulm is especially important for us in two respects. For one, Ulm is the first city to operate the new multi-articulated variant of the Avenio tram. For another, this is the first time our new “Siemens Tram Assistant” collision warning system is being used. By making trains and infrastructure intelligent, we guarantee availability and increase safety in urban traffic,” said Sabrina Soussan, CEO of Siemens Mobility.

The Siemens Tram Assistant is installed in all of Ulm’s Avenio tram fleet. The system informs the tram driver of critical situations with the help of lidar and radar sensors, helping to avoid accidents.

The Avenio M has been optimized to operate on the Ulm tram routes with their steep grades. Designed as a modular, multi-articulated tram, the Avenio M adapts flexibly to the infrastructure. The tram’s weight-optimized aluminum body and state-of-the-art electrical systems minimize its energy consumption.

For further information about Siemens Mobility, please see: www.siemens.com/mobility

Siemens Mobility is a separately managed company of Siemens AG. As a leader in transport solutions for more than 160 years, Siemens Mobility is constantly innovating its portfolio in its core areas of rolling stock, rail automation and electrification, turnkey systems, intelligent traffic systems as well as related services. With digitalization, Siemens Mobility is enabling mobility operators worldwide to make infrastructure intelligent, increase value sustainably over the entire lifecycle, enhance passenger experience and guarantee availability. In fiscal year 2018, which ended on September 30, 2018, the former Siemens Mobility Division posted revenue of €8.8 billion and had around 28,400 employees worldwide. Further information is available at: www.siemens.com/mobility.

MEDIA CONTACT
Ms. Eva Haupenthal
Siemens Mobility GmbH
Otto-Hahn-Ring 6
81739 Munich
Germany
Tel: +49 (89) 636-24421
eva.haupenthal@siemens.com

SOURCE: Siemens AG

Siemens Mobility to design and build the next generation of VIA Rail Canada’s trainsets

32 bi-directional trainsets offering more than 9,100 seats
Passenger service expected to begin in 2022
Enhanced passenger experience

MUNICH, 13-Dec-2018 — /EuropaWire/ — Siemens Mobility has been awarded a €650 million contract in Canada to design and build the next generation of VIA Rail Canada’s trainsets. This includes 32 bi-directional trainsets, with a supplemental 15-year service agreement for VIA Rail, Canada’s government-owned intercity transportation operator. The new trainsets will service passengers on VIA’s busiest route, the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor, which connects Canada’s two largest cities, Toronto and Montreal, and spans more than 2,200 kilometers in a northeast-southwest direction. The line carried more than 4.5 million passengers in 2018, representing an increase of more than 30 percent over the past four years. The trainsets will ensure the highest level of safety while also significantly enhancing the passenger experience, with excellent ride quality including more comfortable seats, quieter cars, modern climate control and a high-performance passenger Wi-Fi and digital information system. Delivery of the trainsets will begin in 2021 and passenger service in 2022.

“As we are initiating the gradual withdrawal of the current fleet, the timely delivery of the new fleet will allow VIA Rail to maintain the current levels of service in the Québec-City Windsor Corridor, while significantly improving the quality of its passenger experience. We thank the Government of Canada for their trust in VIA Rail and for this historic investment in its sustainable future,” said Yves-Desjardins-Siciliano, President and CEO, VIA Rail Canada.

“We’re proud to provide VIA Rail’s next generation of trainsets, which will deliver the best travel experience for its riders. Siemens Mobility is committed to delivering intelligent trains that enhance passenger experience, increase value sustainably over their lifecycle and improve availability,” said Sabrina Soussan CEO, Siemens Mobility.

The 32 trainsets will be powered by the popular Charger locomotives, one of the most fuel-efficient diesel-electric locomotives in the market today. The passenger cars come with a high level of comfort, air-suspension, state of the art interior design, a full range of modern passenger amenities, the latest in food service equipment and will feature Enhanced Universal Accessibility, offering multiple accommodations for wheelchairs and other mobility devices. The trainsets will be manufactured in Siemens Mobility’s North American Manufacturing Headquarters for Rolling Stock located in Sacramento, California. Siemens Mobility aims to include Canadian content of more than 20 percent of supplies and service.

More than 70 Siemens Mobility Charger locomotives are successfully operating across North America transporting passengers and traveling nearly 5 million kilometers per year.

VIA Rail operates on a 12,500-kilometer rail network with 121 stations, 73 locomotives and 428 train cars. It transports more than 4.8 million passengers annually, covering 1.5 billion kilometers.

For further information about Siemens Mobility, please see: www.siemens.com/mobility

Contact
Ms. Kara Evanko
Siemens Mobility GmbH
300 New Jersey Avenue NW
DC 20001 Washington
USA
Tel: +1 202 285 3072

kara.evanko@siemens.com

World Premiere: Power bank for electric cars – the mobile quick charging station by Volkswagen Group Components

Flexible charging station can support the stationary development of a charging infrastructure for electric vehicles and serve temporary needs
CEO of Volkswagen Group Components, Thomas Schmall: “Completely new approach for the construction and expansion of the charging network”
Head of Technology at Group Components, Mark Möller: “Sustainable power can simply be stored temporarily until use”
MEB battery pack forms the energetic core of the charging station

WOLFSBURG, 27-Dec-2019 — /EuropaWire/ — At the turn of the year, Volkswagen is offering a glimpse of the company’s future mobile quick charging station. It can be set up flexibly and independent of the power supply wherever it is needed: for example, in public parking lots in the city, on company premises, or as a temporary charging point at large-scale events. The mobile charging station works according to the principle of a power bank – which is familiar to many people with smartphones – but for electric vehicles instead. The charging capacity of up to 360 kWh enables up to 15 e-vehicles, including members of Volkswagen’s new ID. family,1 to be charged in stand-alone operation. Thanks to quick charging technology, the charging process2 only takes 17 minutes on average. If the energy content of the integrated battery set is less than 20 percent, the depleted charging station is simply exchanged for a charged one. If, however, it is permanently attached to the power supply with up to 30 kW via alternating current, the battery pack perpetually recharges itself. In case the charging process is based on renewable power supply, the charging station furthermore allows the temporary storage of sustainably generated power, such as solar or wind energy – and therefore CO2-neutral mobility.

The first mobile quick charging stations will be set up as early as the first half of 2019 in Volkswagen’s hometown as part of a pilot project, and will support the expansion of a charging infrastructure in the urban area. As of 2020, the charging station will also be implemented in other cities and communities.

Thomas Schmall, Chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen Group Components, says: “The mobile charging stations are a decisive step toward an efficient network of charging points. They can be set up anywhere as required – with or without connection to the power supply. This flexibility enables a completely new approach for the rapid expansion of the charging infrastructure. Cities can, for example, find out the most suitable places for a permanent charging point before making major investments in developing the network. In addition, it will be possible to set up a large number of charging stations temporarily – exactly when and where they are needed.”

The mobile charging stations can be set up at defined points, for example, spread out across a city. The flexible locations can be easily found via the Internet or apps. Each charging station enables DC quick charging with up to 100 kW. In addition to electric cars, e-bikes can also be charged. Up to four vehicles can be charged simultaneously: two with DC and two with AC connections. The total battery storage capacity of up to 360 kWh is sufficient for up to 15 e-vehicles. There is also the possibility of connecting to the power supply directly, allowing the station to be charged with up to 30 kW via alternating current by means of a permanent standard grid connection. This enables charging points for electric vehicles to be set up quickly and simply, without any structural changes or major financial outlay. The battery pack in the charging station can be recharged around the clock thanks to the direct power connection. This time-independent recharging, and therefore buffering of power, also considerably reduces the strain on the power supply at peak periods.

“Our mobile charging stations offer a further crucial advantage,” says Mark Möller, Head of Technical Development at Volkswagen Group Components. “It is only when an electric car is charged with sustainably generated power that it can claim CO2-neutral mobility. Our charging station is the first to offer the possibility of temporarily storing sustainably generated power.” For example, the charging station can be charged specifically with solar or wind energy, which is then transmitted to the electric vehicles during charging. Technically, the mobile charging column is based on the battery pack of the Volkswagen Group’s Modular Electric Toolkit (MEB). On the one hand, this offers the advantage of quick scalability and, on the other hand, the charging station allows batteries from electric vehicles to have a second life. This is because a battery loses charging capacity over time. If a vehicle battery has a defined, reduced residual capacity, it is exchanged. If this battery subsequently passes a thorough analysis, it can be reused in a mobile charging station.

An efficient network of charging points is regarded as one of the basic infrastructural prerequisites for convincing customers to buy electric vehicles such as the Volkswagen brand’s future I.D. family.1 Accomplishing this is one of the major challenges Volkswagen Group Components and others must tackle to ensure the breakthrough of e-mobility. As of January 1, 2019, the Components division is an independent business unit within the Volkswagen Group. The mobile charging station is an in-house development with the goal of developing a closed life cycle for the battery. The start of production is planned for 2020.

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SOURCE: Volkswagen AG