Owing to the quarantine for the COVID-19 health emergency, the use of cars has drastically diminished. How can we protect the health of the lithium battery, key element of the electric car, which corresponds to about one third of the entire car value?
Lithium ion cells that make up the electric car’s battery lose their charge slowly, about 2% per month, then up to 15 km of charge per day.
EV battery packs, anyway, should be maintained neither at 100% of the charge nor close to zero because the stress on cathode materials would increase and a battery, if left discharged for a long time, might even be damaged irreparably.
The ideal would be to keep it at a constant charge level included between 50 and 80% of the capacity. Then, the car that stands still, like in the lockdown case, should be anyway recharged once a week to restore about 80% of the charge and, once reached that level, we should disconnect it.
However, we must take care of the accessory battery, too: in addition to the traction battery pack, each EV is also equipped with the standard 12-volt accessory battery that operates other electrical components, like windscreen wipers and lights. Therefore, also the accessory battery needs care and must be connected to a specific battery charger every now and then.
COVID-19. Lockdown and electric cars
Electrical engineering and electronics: the effects of Covid-19
ANIE Federation, as representative of the Italian Electrical Engineering and Electronic Industry, since the first hours of the epidemic diffusion, has worked in concert with Government and Regional Institutions and in coordination with Confindustria, providing its contribution concerning both the urgent measures of contagion containment and the provisions to support enterprises and economic activities and to protect its industrial manufacturing chain.
Giuliano Busetto, President of ANIE, assessing the crisis’s effects on ANIE enterprises, stated: «They can be hardly quantified with certainty, also in the light of the unforeseeable duration and of the diffusion capillarity but an estimate of the effects on our companies has been already evident since the beginning of March, with a drastic slowdown of orders». An in-depth study by Confindustria Study Centre highlighted in fact that 70% of the electrotechnical and electronic enterprises of the investigated sample was affected by a negative effect on the business activity, with a significant impact on the collection of manufacturing inputs and on demand.
These concerns are unavoidably worsened by the issue of the DPCM 22nd March and of the D.L. 25th March 2020, which provide for the temporary stop of all industrial and commercial activities not deemed essential. The report processed by ANIE Study Service on ISTAT data underlines the lockdown involves 80% of sector enterprises, with 73% of aggregate turnover and 76% of workers.
«Unfortunately, –Busetto pointed out – we expect the 70% percentage estimated by Confindustria’s report is likely to increase, also in the light of the data released today by Confindustria Study Centre forecasting the approximate 10% cumulative GDP fall for the first 2020-semester».
Concerning this, the President Busetto expresses strong concern and asks the Government for a more constant dialogue with the Federation. He highlights that precisely ANIE enterprises can, better than others, help to understand how manufacturing chains are actually structured, as they are the suppliers of the technologies needed by the sectors of the specific production and distribution chains for Industry, Energy, Transports, public and private Infrastructures.
Last days ANIE sent a letter to the Government pointing out the serious difficulty in finding individual protection devices (IPD) and asking for a simplified provisioning procedure, to allow companies to carry on activities and services under safety conditions, meanwhile assuring all workers’ health protection. «It is important to maintain operations immediately and, in a successive phase, to restart with the full activity, to give new boost to the industrial productivity in our Country» Busetto highlighted.
Finally, the President of ANIE underlines, it is important to provide for financial aids for all big, medium and small enterprises: «Our companies represent the excellence of the enterprises that supply technological systems and solutions for the made in Italy and, to avoid they shut down at the end of the crisis, extraordinary measures to guarantee liquid assets are necessary. From the immediate suspension of tax and social security contributions to the strengthening of the Guarantee Fund to support SME and Mid Cap».
Anti Covid 19 business protocols to restart the working activity
On Wednesday, April 22nd, from 10.00 to 11.30 a.m., the lawyer Michela Maggi will answer your questions on the occasion of the webinar “Anti Covid 19 business protocols to restart the working activity “. The participation in the webinar is free, upon online registration.
The pandemic state has imposed a production stop, until a date to be still defined, to all entrepreneurial realities defined by the Italian Government “not essential” for the fight against Coronavirus.
One fact is certain. The return to the normal productive activity will occur gradually, by categories of manufactured goods and region by region.
Therefore, it is necessary to get ready in time and to equip one’s own companies with all that is needed to allow employees to start working again with all inherent safety measures.
“Anti Covid 19 business protocols to restart the working activity” is a free webinar, in Italian, is organized by MeccanicaNews (Tecniche Nuove) with the collaboration of the Lawyer Michela Maggi, – PhD in Intellectual Property Law – Data Protection Expert Maggilegal Studio Legal.
Sign up for the free webinar
Anti Covid 19 business protocols to restart the working activity
Free webinar, on Wednesday, April 22nd, from 10.00 to 11.30 a.m.
This webinar aims at providing general indications on anti Covid 19 protocols that employers will have to adopt to comply with health safety and privacy regulations in Italy.
THE PROGRAMMEÂ
Anti- Covid-19 contagion business protocol
-Description of measures
-Implementation of protocols
Management of workers and privacy according to the Protocol
-Actions to be undertaken for the access to workplaces
-Fulfilments in case of Covid 19 infection symptoms
-Organizational measures of data protection
-Workers’ provenience from risk zones
-Health surveillance
-Competent physician’s tasks
New calendar update for MECSPE 2020 edition
Senaf is constantly monitoring the evolution of the epidemiological situation and is forced to reschedule Mecspe that will be held from 29 to 31 October at Parma Fairground.
The new shift of dates gives the opportunity to guarantee the usual and regular running of the event, maintaining the consolidated position of leading fair of the manufacturing industry.
The program of special initiatives, the conformation of the exhibition halls, the existing contract and the assignments already made will not be changed.
MECSPE 2020 will be held at Parma Fairground from 29 to 31 October 2020.
For any further information writing at the following email address: info@mecspe.com.
Reorganization of the automotive industry to mobilize against Coronavirus
Various manufacturers in the world are carrying out an industrial reorganization to implement the necessary life-saving medical devices in such a critical phase of the Covid-19 pandemic in course.
Among the most pressing targets, increasing the production of ventilators, which are helping so many people hospitalized in intensive care.
In Italy, Ferrari, Fca and Magneti Marelli (producer of automotive components) are at work and are assessing with the Bolognese company Siare Engineering International the solutions to increase the national production of respirators, indispensable for the care of the most seriously ill patients affected by Covid-19.
The Bolognese company is in fact the only one in Italy (and among the only five in all Europe) specialized in this type of sophisticated devices become indispensable in intensive care and has recently signed a maxi supply agreement with the National Civil Protection.
Two are the feasible ways: supporting Siare (to which the Italian Government has asked to double the weekly production) in the manufacturing process optimization (especially in the production of electronic components), or outsourcing part of the manufacturing in partners’ factories.
The automotive industry’s know-how in technologies (mechanics, chemistry, physics and electronics of vehicles), in the process optimization and the greater purchasing power of raw materials might undoubtedly guarantee many benefits to Siare. The experience of the suppliers of car parts and components can also contribute in the manufacturing flexibility needed in this phase.
In the world
The industrial reorganization to supply materials and equipment to hospitals, main front of the war against Coronavirus, involves the commitment in the world of several other companies of the automotive industry.
Among the companies that are moving to the rescue of hospital facilities and governments, we find also Ford Honda, Jaguar Land Rover and Rolls Royce.
All Countries in the world are experimenting a dramatic shortage of suitable protections and instruments to prevent the contagion of physicians, nurses and other healthcare operators, the forefront against the virus, and to assist the most seriously ill patients with lung ventilators.
In Germany, Volkswagen Group is studying how to use 3D printing to aid the production of hospital ventilators and other life-saving equipment.
Daimler and BMW Groups as well are working to help the healthcare system concretely.
In Great Britain, a consortium of industries, McLaren and Nissan included, are organizing an extraordinary production of ventilators, as requested by the Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
In the USA, General Motors (inside the private consortium StopTheSpread.org) is collaborating with Ventec Life Systems, producer of lung ventilators, to increase the production. Also Tesla and Ford, together with GM, have been invited by Donald Trump to cooperate to face the emergency.
In particular, Ford is collaborating with 3M and General Electrics Healthcare to develop a breathing mask with air filtering system intended for healthcare teams and relievers. Some components, like the fan of the system of fanned seats of Ford F-150 pick-up, will be used to implement a 3M ventilator model and they hypothesize to be able to use some Ford factories, too.
They think of using also ready-to-use parts like the battery packs of portable tools to power respirators for eight hours maximum.
Moreover, Ford and GE Healthcare are collaborating to expand the production of a simplified version of the existing ventilator by GE Healthcare, to support the patients with respiratory failure or breathing difficulties caused by Coronavirus.
The measures undertaken by CDP to support Italian enterprises
CDP Group’s initiatives will allow supporting growth, export and internationalization of Italian enterprises in this difficult time, through plafond for a total of 7 billion Euros to facilitate businesses’ access to credit and interventions of moratorium and payment extension in favour of companies benefitting from funds that support export and internationalization.
Cassa Depositi e Prestiti, to support Italian enterprises, on a domestic and international scale, in full health emergency caused by Covid-19, has implemented a package of interventions.
They have put at businesses’ disposal a plafond of 7 billion Euros to finance the requirements of circulating capital, investments, export and internationalization activities, in partnership with the bank system, and also a package of moratorium and payment extensions, still in collaboration with the bank system, to guarantee support and flexibility.
The initiatives that will be soon activated include the “Plafond Mid-Large Corporate” and subsidized loans for internationalization.
CDP is creating a new guarantee instrument to support enterprises: Plafond Mid-Large Corporate. The measure, which is conceived to provide medium and big Italian companies with further liquid assets, will be operational in the lapse of few weeks and, due to the state counter-guarantee, it will grant funds up to 10 billion Euros.
About the subsidized loans for internationalization (Law n. 394), they are strengthening the Revolving Fund Law n. 394/81 that currently supports enterprises through subsidized loans for internationalization, with the establishment of a separate section of the Fund itself that will allow non-repayable co-financing up to 50% of loans granted. Criteria and modalities will be established by the Loan Committee next weeks.
CDP Group assures the full operation of its services in smart working.
For any further clarification or information about Covid-19 measures, the dedicated line 06.6736002 is active.
For any further information the green number 800.020.030 is always in operation.
HERE all provisions in detail.
Covid-19: Tecniche Nuove guide is available online
Tecniche Nuove has drawn up the guide “Covid-19, what it is, how it is transmitted, how to behave, how to manage our professional and private life” signed by the renowned virologist Prof. Fabrizio Pregliasco.
Now more than ever we have to turn to precise reliable information sources to face the health emergency in course and to share in preventing the diffusion of Covid-19.
For this reason, Tecniche Nuove has implemented the guide “Covid-19, what it is, how it is transmitted, how to behave, how to manage our professional and private life”.
An authoritative contribution to contrast the #fakenews that today are sources of risk for our health.
The guide is free browsable after registering HERE
#semprepresenti. Specialized communication, digital services and instruments
The epidemiologic and clinic emergency that characterizes this moment imposes drastic measures of social isolation to all #iorestoacasa, but today more than ever communication cannot and should not stop.
At Tecniche Nuove Group we have decided to be #semprepresenti, going on offering our partners a network of communication platforms specialized in the main B2B sectors and a series of digital services and instruments able to generate highly profiled contacts.
Discover more here>>>
The iconic Hummer becomes and electric pickup
General Motors’ vision of an all-electric future is coming into clearer focus and gaining momentum with a $2.2 billion investment at its Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant to produce a variety of all-electric trucks and SUVs. GM’s first all-electric truck will be a pickup with production scheduled to begin in late 2021.The first advertising spot lasting 30 seconds and regarding the new GMC Hummer EV appeared for the first time during last Super Bowl. Currently General Motors has diffused the front image of the new electric Hummer. The predominant element that catches the attention? When the vehicle starts, the front of the car lights up, highlighting a design of great visual impact. Concerning technical specifications, at present we know the vehicle features 1,000 HP power and maximum torque exceeding 15,500 Nm. Performances? In 3 seconds, the electric pickup accelerates from 0 to 60 hourly miles, corresponding to 96 Km/h; values that seem to belong to a super sports car.
Taxis and electric scooters in the same APP
The urban mobility platform, top market player in Europe, has recently integrated in Turin, first city in Italy, Hive, the service of electric scooters in sharing already operating in 5 European Countries. FREE NOW and Hive are both part of FREE NOW Group, the ride-hailing company established last February by the mobility joint venture between BMW Group and Daimler AG. In the Piedmont capital city, Hive urban micro-mobility devices have been integrated and made available also through the App by FREE NOW. Therefore, from our own smartphone we can choose whether to call for a taxi ride or to rent a Hive scooter for the first and last mile displacements or, furthermore, whether to combine both vehicles to reach our destination. «We are very pleased – stated Barbara Covili, General Manager of FREE NOW Italia –with the integration of Hive electric scooters in our App. We believe electric micro-mobility represents a perfect complement to our business, which in Italy is focused on the taxi service, because it is an ideal solution for those making short journeys of about one or two kilometres. Adding Hive to the services offered by our App, we supply a further service to our customers who, by means of a single tool, will have the opportunity of choosing how to move at best in cities, in flexible and intermodal way. Therefore, the announced integration today represents a further step forward to strengthen our ranking as European leader platform for mobility ».