Fiat Chrysler Automobiles cooperates with universities to develop innovative solutions for electromobility

– Collaboration on the “Think Factory 2020” project with technical and economic universities in Milan, Turin, Bologna and Palermo.
– Students learn in a practical way in programs run by FCA’s e-Mobility department and are challenged to develop their own ideas for the mobility of the future.

The involvement of younger generations is essential to shape the mobility of the future. With this in mind, the e-Mobility department of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) is strengthening its ties with the academic world with the "Think Factory 2020" project. The aim of this think tank is to develop new ideas for alternative mobility in collaboration with the most prestigious Italian universities and the most active student associations. The skills and creativity of the best Italian students are in demand.

The "Think Factory 2020" rests on three pillars. The first is entitled "Challenges". FCA is working with the Polytechnic University of Milan, the private business school Bocconi, also in Milan, and the University of Bologna. The second pillar includes online seminars and special lectures on electromobility, such as those offered by the Polytechnic University of Milan or the University of Palermo as part of their "No Smog Mobility" program. The third area includes so-called "hackathons", concentrated events on specific topics, such as the "Visionary Days" and "PoliENERGY" initiatives.

The "Challenges" area allows students to put their skills into practice and gain certificates of achievement by dealing with the latest topics on alternative mobility. For example, one project from the Polytechnic University of Milan was to develop a solution to optimize the charging systems for the batteries of electric cars. Students from Bocconi University worked on a project entitled "Optimal partnerships for FCA in the field of electromobility". This involved solutions to attract new customers through optimized financial services or rental offers. The latest "Challenge" has now been presented by students from the University of Bologna. In it, participants discuss the topic of "Next generation battery-electric vehicles" with ideas for simplifying the drive systems of electric cars and integrating them into future smart infrastructure networks.

The cooperation between FCA and the universities enables students to get to know the practice and daily work of technicians in the field of electromobility during special events. The focus is on FCA's innovative projects, for example a vehicle-to-grid (V2G) plant at FCA's Mirafiori plant in Turin or a recycling plant for car batteries.

As part of "hackathons", FCA's e-Mobility department specifically challenges students' ability to solve problems under time pressure. The young researchers had to develop an innovative program for alternative mobility within a single long working day. A first project of this kind was already carried out at the "Visionary Days 2019". The results were presented at the end to a jury chaired by Roberto Di Stefano, head of the e-Mobility department at FCA.

The successful format, in which students face the challenge of practical questions and topics, will be repeated at the "PoliENERGY" event. The "hackathon", held in collaboration with the Polytechnic University of Turin, is dedicated to the topic of "Vehicle-to-X", i.e. the networking of vehicles with the transport infrastructure. The task for the students is to develop ideas for networking electric vehicles with all types of technology in order to increase their economic efficiency and attractiveness in everyday use.

Challenges, webinars and hackathons are the three innovative teaching methods on which FCA's Think Factory 2020 project is based. The program is also a bet on the performance of students at Italian technical universities. This approach stems from Fiat Chrysler Automobiles' conviction that the future of mobility must also and above all be shaped by the ideas of young people.

Press contact:
Sascha Wolfinger
Phone: +49 69 66988-357
Email: sascha.wolfinger@fcagroup.com

© Photo: FCA Group