Gianni Arena, CEO, Key Technology Innovation
In recent years, the automotive industry has worked hand-in-hand with major technology companies in order to deliver the most advanced, safest and most comfortable vehicles out there. Cars are becoming a smart form of transportation with advanced emergency braking capabilities, mapping technology for autonomous driving and better fuel efficiency.
Today when you cruise around the city, you may notice that there are more people on the road with electric cars and electric vehicles (EV). Charging stations are emerging at the malls, movie theatre, apartment complex, at work and many more places. More people and businesses are investing in electric vehicles because they see it as a viable option for the future. However, do electric cars have a spotless reputation?
Like all new innovations, there are plenty of pros and cons surrounding the modern electric vehicle. As it is known, one of the main limits is its battery. In fact, the battery’s cost, weight, duration, guarantee, and the recharging process heavily influence the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), especially with the large fleets of vehicles for activities such as Mobility-as-a-service (MAAS) (Uber/ Didi/ Grab/ Ola/ JD/ Amazon, etc.). One company which is focused to provide solutions to a series of problems currently caused by EV vehicles is Key Technology Innovation Pte Ltd (KTI).
Key Technology Innovation is a consulting and engineering firm specializing in the design and development of innovative solutions for the automotive industry, whose primary mission is to contribute to resolving the global issue of atmospheric pollution.
The Inception of the Company
Headquartered in Singapore, KTI was founded in 2017 by Gianni Arena, the CEO of the company who has 30 years of experience in the automotive field. The increasingly pressing need to find ‘efficient solutions’ to solve the global air pollution pushed KTI to new challenges starting from early 2018, along with the focus on the New Mobility, Smart City and, particularly, on Maas (Mobility as a Service).
Innovation at the Forefront
Gianni Arena says, “We strongly encourage innovation in the industry, and we are convinced that it can make a significant contribution which will inspire future series productions and transform the automotive landscape.” The company has collaborated with internationally renowned companies, starting from the concept through to the concrete development of the final product. Some of the main services and solutions that KTI offers to its clients include Engineering consulting, Concept cars, and One-off.
Engineering consulting with a specialization in vehicle architecture: Vehicle Architecture Services are considered to be the delicate phase of the whole creative process. Starting from the blank sheet, it is tasked with steering the creation of an exclusive product through the holistic integration of customer’s various requirements and crafting it to a working design. The company’s Vehicle Architecture Services identifies the best technical solutions in order to perfect the optimal balance between technical and technological constraints, ergonomics, performance, costs, and all competing priorities.
Concept Cars: The concept cars are designed to test ideas, innovations and gauge interest for new models or to show design solutions or advanced technologies that will be adopted in the future production by the manufacturer. Exhibition of these concept cars and prototypes allows the producer to evaluate interest and success through the reactions of the public and specialized press.
One-off: It is an expression in automotive design and engineering. It means an exemplar of a custom created vehicle. It is a car approved for normal circulation and produced upon specific instructions of the client. Generally, the instructions are realized on a standard chassis, with significant technical functional aesthetic variations which are suitable to create a unique product in the world.
KTI’s core strength is derived from a mixture of expertise and passion. The years of experience gained by Mr. Arena has allowed him to set up a company that has a particular predisposition and foresight in its DNA to find innovative and functional solutions, in order to satisfy the needs of its customers without underestimating production problems.
Building Towards a Brighter Future
Moving ahead, the company aims to provide a solution that could offer an opportunity to use different business models for EV cars, as opposed to the current one, which is limited by the total dependence of the ‘infrastructures’ and the anxious search for an available charging station.
To reach this objective, KTI has developed a new economic concept of ‘Swapping Battery System (SBES)’ whose main features include:
1) Low-cost station – The low production cost of the station allows an excellent diffusion spread on the territory.
2) It is easy to produce on a large scale worldwide by using a large number of ‘off the shelf’ components. This considerably reduces the investments for the product industrialization.
3) No infrastructure is required for its installation and is easily transportable as it is small in size.
4) It can be used with different ODM’s Platforms and has a high level of safety.
5) The swapping time of the batteries is estimated to be around 2 minutes.
6) It is designed for the B2G (Battery to the Grid System).
KTI is currently engaged in the search for funds to start the first step that will last 8-10 months for the making of a working prototype to be submitted to its potential buyers who have already shown a high interest also signing the L.O.I (LETTERS OF INTENT).
“In order to demonstrate the functionality of the SBES system, KTI will launch a racing program that involves the development of the first fully electric car able to compete in long-term races, such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans or Spa Francorchamps,” says Mr. Arena.