Las Vegas, January 9th, 2020 - A device that charges the batteries of electric wheelchairs using the charging infrastructure for electric cars: it’s JuiceAbility, the new technology developed by Enel X and presented at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), the most important hi-tech event currently underway in Las Vegas. Through a smart cable and an app, JuiceAbility is able to recognize the batteries of electric wheelchairs and connect them to the system of charging stations for electric vehicles.
JuiceAbility is the result of the collaboration between Enel X and the Italian start-up Avanchair; in addition, it was recognized as a “good practice” by ANGLAT, the Italian association supporting the right of mobility for people with disabilities. The goal is to allow for the use of electric wheelchairs without being restricted by the range of their batteries.
“With JuiceAbility, Enel X gives people with disabilities access to a network of more than 11,000 charging stations with which, as of today, it is possible to charge not only cars, but also electric wheelchairs,” said Francesco Venturini, Head of Enel X. “In pursuit of a vision based on the convergence of innovation and sustainability, today at CES 2020 we are launching a new product that meets the mobility needs of all, while helping to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals by strengthening and promoting everyone’s social, economic and political inclusion, including people with disabilities.”
The device is already available for pre-order on the website www.enelxstore.com, while the first deliveries will start from June of this year.
Enel X, the Enel Group business line dedicated to innovative products and digital solutions, is exhibiting at CES 2020 with a stand devoted to the technologies capable of transforming energy into new growth and development opportunities for people, businesses and cities. Enel X’s area, located in the Smart Cities section of CES, also features Homix, a new Smart Home system for heating, home security, and lighting management that helps families save energy and simplify their lives while respecting the environment. Homix combines simplicity and convenience by working with Alexa, Amazon’s smart, cloud-based voice service.
City Analytics is one of the technologies Enel X has developed for the cities of the future and that it is presenting in Las Vegas. This is an innovative solution that helps public administrations plan tourism, mobility, and security services according to the real needs of its residents. Using big data analytics, and respecting personal data privacy regulations, City Analytics collects and analyses information it obtains from sensors, cameras, and other data collection points located in a city or reference area, such as the origin and destination of the flows of people, the estimated number of residents and tourists, and maps of the most visited or busiest places. All of this information is processed and made available to public administrations to support the formulation of policies and tools that meet the needs of citizens and visitors.
Enel X’s public lighting solutions on display in Las Vegas include adaptive lighting tools that, thanks to sensors and specific algorithms, can adjust the power of the lighting based on current traffic, weather, and natural light visibility conditions to reduce the energy consumption of cities without impacting safety.
Enel X's electric vehicle charging solutions are showcased at CES with the “Juice family”, the complete, modular and scalable product range for public or private mobility needs. The family ranges from the JuiceBox, a home recharging system that combines speed, performance, and convenience, to the JuicePump, suitable for public use and capable of charging most electric vehicles by 80% in about 30 minutes; and to the JuiceLamp that combines LED street lighting with the electric vehicle charging infrastructure and is expandable to include video surveillance, air quality monitoring, and fiber or urban Wi-Fi connectivity.
Enel X’s exhibit in Las Vegas also includes Demand Response, its active demand management solution that can modulate the energy demand of participating industrial and commercial customers, to make the network more flexible and stable. Enel X is the leading Demand Response service operator, with a managed capacity of over 6 GW in the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Oceania. The technology enables customers who agree to modulate their consumption to access a new source of income and become an active player within the electricity system.
The products and services on display at CES 2020 also include Enel X's lithium-ion battery energy storage solutions equipped with intelligent DER.OS software for consumption optimization and participation in Demand Response programs.