- The award was presented today by the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, during the web awards ceremony
Rome, December 11th, 2020 - Enel X's JuiceAbility, the device that allows electric wheelchair batteries to be recharged using electric vehicle charging infrastructure, has been awarded the 2020 National Innovation Award "Premio dei Premi". The award was presented by the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, in the presence of the Minister for Public Administration, Fabiana Dadone, the Minister for Technological Innovation and Digitalization, Paola Pisano, and the President of the COTEC Foundation, Luigi Nicolais, during the ceremony held remotely this morning.
The award, instituted by the Presidency of the Council of Ministers by concession of the President of the Republic, is conferred annually on companies, banks, public administrations, design studios and academic start-ups that have achieved significant product or process innovations. Enel X's JuiceAbility won the award because, as the motivation states, "it will ensure greater independence for people with disabilities who use an electric aid for their daily mobility and will further increase their perception of personal autonomy".
“Receiving the National Award for Innovation from President Mattarella is a great honor and reinforces our commitment to the development of cutting-edge technological solutions that respect the principles of inclusion and the diversity of each individual," says Francesco Venturini, CEO of Enel X. "Access to sustainable mobility is a right and a principle at the heart of our business strategy, and it is precisely from this belief that, thanks to the collaboration with an Italian start-up, we have created JuiceAbility, a tool that improves the life and autonomy of people with motor disabilities."
Presented in January at the Consumer Electronics Show-CES, the most important event dedicated to hi-tech, JuiceAbility is the result of a collaboration with the Italian start-up Avanchair, which was able to develop its prototype and start a path of growth thanks to the support and know-how provided by Enel.
Through the app and a smart cable, JuiceAbility allows the batteries of electric wheelchairs to be recognized and connected to Enel X's system of charging stations. JuiceAbility has also been recognized as "good practice" by ANGLAT, the national trade association that protects the right to mobility of people with disabilities.