A few months ago we talked about aviation and how some of the industry’s most important companies, after decades of immobility and a lack of innovation, made the switch – also to comply with increasingly stringent emission limits We study new solutions or, in some cases, bring some of them back into fashion.
Following our article (which you will find with this link) We had the opportunity to ask Carlo Iacovini a few questionsGeneral Manager Energica Inside (the Energica Motor division we recently talked about in connection with the partnership with Plenitude) about research and development projects in the difficult (but stimulating) field of airy electric mobility.
Let’s talk about that in particular Energica participation in some current light aviation projects where a team of engineers are at work to integrate EV (Electric Vehicles) technology into ULM (Ultra-light Motorized i.e. small aircraft and ultra-light seaplanes) for recreational and training purposes.
In the latter case, the start-up, which was founded just last year, works side by side with companies of this caliber Phenix Air Corp, Pure Flight (for improving the ΦNIX aircraft) and in collaboration with a team of engineers and pilots led by Gabriel De Vault for integrating the latest Energica powertrain into a purpose built Sonex airframe.
On the one hand, Energica Inside’s mission is the technological development of modular powertrain components and systems also for areas other than two-wheel mobility (around which Energica was born), on the other hand The motorcycle air jump is undoubtedly remarkable and presents an enormous challengewhich, as Iacovini explained to us, fits perfectly with the spirit of the Modena-based company.
“Energica Inside was founded with the aim of developing innovative solutions for electric mobility, a goal that we can achieve by fully exploiting the know-how acquired in over 10 years as Energica Motor Company. So we’re talking more than a decade.” In doing so, we have focused 100% on finding optimal solutions in a difficult area like that of high-performance motorcycles. We faced the same challenges that many companies face today, but with limitations that have since been overcome. Because of this, we are able to find innovative solutions, because We always think outside the box. As for the aviation sector, we have pooled the technical capabilities of the sector thanks to partners such as Phenix Air Corp, Sonex and ΦNIX, whom we support with our proactive, results-oriented mindset.”.
The start-up on this path is supported not only by creativity and the ability to imagine something new, but also by the knowledge that Energica has appreciated over the years and that it was possible transferred to a completely different sector than mobility on wheels, such as aviation.
“We use a lot of our know-how, starting with how we do things. Both in aircraft and in high-performance motorcycles, We started from scratch and then customized the project. We bring the technical experience and most importantly the critical approach to the problem and its quick solution to the Energica Motor Company, especially in the racing years He had to react immediately and proactively to any last-minute dynamics he might encounter race after race. The biggest challenges we face on this new path concern in particular the integration of spaces and the balancing of weights fundamental to handling and safety in an aircraft. From a performance point of view, our powertrains are very capable and guarantee expected usage times in the different use cases we evaluate. Aircraft also have particular aerodynamic shapes that require intensive work on mechanical and functional integration.”
Electromobility is one of those topics that attracts the ideas and opinions of different people, not just experts and/or enthusiasts: Often more restrictions are perceived than actually seenwhich tends to limit their acceptance – especially for wheeled vehicles.
However, the specifics (and criticalities) of the aviation sector tend to defeat even the most optimistic hypotheses; What does Energica Inside think?
“Energica Inside believes that technology is the key to breaking down any barrier. In the future, technologies will continue to improve, we will discover new solutions that are unthinkable today. When we talk about electricity, we are talking about a sector that is evolving and making great strides year after year. Was what is happening today still conceivable 10 years ago? It is therefore important not to set any limits. In the vision of Energica Motor Company and therefore also of Energica Inside, we find that these words 100% sum up our mentality: it is always necessary to go beyond imagination to create innovation and that is the foundation, on which we build our future. We want to continue expanding our range of actions both in the aviation sector and for other sectors, positioning ourselves as a point of reference in the creation of innovative solutions for e-mobility. This is where we see our mission statement.”
