Italian electric motorcycle manufacturer Energica Motor Company has entered into a research and development partnership with Electra Vehicles Inc., a company that specialises in AI-powered battery management software solutions. The collaboration aims to improve battery performance and related features on Energica’s high-performance electric motorcycles by integrating Electra’s cutting-edge technology.
Based in Italy’s Motor Valley region, a hub for automotive innovation, Energica has focused on developing electric vehicle technology for over a decade. By incorporating Electra’s AI battery management system, called ‘Brain for Batteries’, into its products, Energica intends to optimise critical factors like vehicle range, charging times, battery longevity, and overall riding experience.
“We have started an R&D program with Electra to apply their AI algorithms to our battery management systems,” said Giampiero Testoni, Chief Technology Officer at Energica. “The primary goal is to better monitor and leverage battery data to maximise vehicle range and performance.”
Electra’s proprietary AI algorithms work by analysing real-time battery data in conjunction with external inputs such as driving behaviour, temperature, and other environmental conditions. This sophisticated data integration and processing through machine learning models allows for precise energy consumption optimisation, faster charging times, extended battery lifespans, and significantly improved range estimation accuracy.
Fabrizio Martini, Electra’s CEO and founder, who previously worked as an engineer at NASA, emphasised the transformative potential of AI in battery management, stating, “Applying artificial intelligence to manage the battery, which is the heart of any electric vehicle, can dramatically enhance performance, durability, and directly address common consumer concerns like range anxiety.”
Specifically, Electra’s ‘Brain for Batteries’ technology has demonstrated the ability to estimate battery state-of-health with up to 97% accuracy over its full lifecycle, potentially extending battery life by over 20%. Additionally, it provides highly precise range estimates with just a 1% margin of error, helping to alleviate range anxiety for riders. Perhaps most crucially, the AI system can preemptively detect potential battery faults and maintenance issues months in advance, significantly improving safety, reliability, and cost-efficiency.
By strategically implementing Electra’s advanced predictive maintenance and battery optimisation capabilities, Energica aims to minimise costly downtime and reduce maintenance needs while improving overall battery reliability for its customers. This cutting-edge technology integration allows Energica to reinforce its commitment to delivering innovative, high-performance, and sustainable electric motorcycle solutions.
The partnership represents a synergistic blend of Energica’s expertise in electric motorcycle engineering and Electra’s prowess in applied AI and battery analytics. As the electric vehicle market continues to grow and evolve, collaborations like this one could prove instrumental in driving technological advancements that enhance the user experience and accelerate the widespread adoption of electric mobility solutions.
For Energica, the R&D program with Electra presents an opportunity to leverage the power of AI and differentiate its offerings in the competitive electric motorcycle segment. By pushing the boundaries of battery performance and longevity, Energica aims to solidify its position as a trailblazer in the industry while delivering cutting-edge products that resonate with environmentally conscious and tech-savvy riders.