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Month: July 2021

"Electric motorcycles and high tech wearables – this is lifestyle" 

by: Cassandra Tanti
20/07/2021

It’s a story that began in 1903, when aristocrat Marquis Ricardo Soriano Scholtz von Hermensdorff II invented a racing engine far ahead of its time. Throttle forward a century and that pioneering spirit continued through the bloodline to Economist Marco Antonio Soriano IV, who is rebooting the Soriano family legacy in Italy with an all-electric motorcycle and a game changing global business model. 
Monaco Life caught up with Marco Antonio after he spoke at this year’s Energy Boat Challenge at the Yacht Club of Monaco.
Monaco Life: Can you tell us about where it all began for the Soriano family?
Marco Antonio Soriano IV: In the early 1900s, the Sorianos started manufacturing the first racing cars in France, piloted by the British race car driver Jean Graff in competitions like Le Mans. Then in the mid-30s we decided to move to Spain where we became the first manufacturer of motorcycles.
Soriano motorcycles pioneered the whole industry. We even created a line of scooters towards the end of the 50s. Engines were the primary focus of the family business, then it started merging into hospitality.
Where is the family, the company and yourself positioned today?  
The Soriano family was everyone – my great grandfather and all his siblings – and I am the fourth generation of the family office. What tends to happen is, when there is second and third generation wealth, family members live the life of a rock star but they don’t want to work or bring any value to the family business. So, I became the black sheep and started cutting people out who were draining what had been built in wealth over time but were not producing. I restructured during the financial crisis in 2009 because we were facing a very hard time, particularly my generation which is 50 family members. This fifth generation now has been narrowed down and structured to what the Soriano family office is today – our brand.

Left to right: Sergio Moroni, CEO Soriano Motori Corporation, Francesco and Filippo Micchelaci, 3rd generation brothers in fashion and Lead Directors of Fashion Design and Production in Florence, and Marco Soriano, Founder and Chairman of Soriano Motori Corporation.

You’re also a specialist in wealth management, which I am sure has contributed to the success of the company and the family office. So, why electric motorcycles?
Having a motors company history, I saw the opportunity to rebirth the family brand with a new vision, the electric vehicle (EV) global platform. Having a narrative allows you to be heard, and then once you are heard you have to create your own legacy. So, we did. In 2019, I started drafting on a napkin the first lines of the kind of motorcycle I would like to create. I took that to a designer and engineers in the US, and then I went to Italy – because Italians have a very keen eye for beauty and design. I am also part Italian myself.
We were the first in the world to build an electric vehicle with shift gears, which allows you to conserve energy and boost performance as you ride the hills of Europe.
We patented the technology and we now have a modular system that we can use in any other vehicle in the world.
When can we see the first prototype?
This November at EICMA in Milan, the world’s largest motorcycle trade show, we will present two cruisers, one Enduro model, and possibly a couple of our new EV scooters as well. We presented the specs for the first prototype in November, but they were pandemic times so this will be the real worldwide reveal. We will also present the motorcycles at Art Basel in Miami and at the Fashion Week in Tokyo, Japan this December.
What sets this EV apart from other electric motorcycles that are currently on the market? 
A regular rider wants the traditional sound and motion of a motorcycle, so that’s what we have done. You can’t even tell the difference between an ICE combustion engine and the EV, it is the same feeling. We added the component of shifting gears to conserve energy and to add torque, while the ABS braking system that we created also allows you to conserve energy and recharge the battery during that process. Battery options range from 15kWh to 20kWh, both lithium-polymers. The motorbike’s range is 200km, maximum velocity 260km per hour.
The motorcycles can be customised and we are taking pre-orders now at www.sorianomotori.com. They will be built in limited-edition capacity and I will laser sign each one. We can produce about six per day, but we do have a 10,000 units manufacturing capacity per annum. This can be scaled up very quickly, but I am not interested in creating oversupply and a sub market.

Where are they made and what kind of prices are we talking? 
The EVs are made in Italy in two state-of-the-art facilities in Oggiono and Intrubio in the Lecco Province of the majestic Lake Como. Costs range from around €25,500 for the V1R to €32,500 for the V1 Gara. We also accept payment in mainstream cryptocurrencies like Ethereum and Bitcoin.
You also say that you are reinventing the business model of the motorcycle sector. What do you mean by that? 
The automobile industry does not have a true lifestyle around it, so we started to create our own kind of fashion and high-tech wearables using recyclables as well as photovoltaic undergarments. In some of our leather bags, for example, we are incorporating recharge capacities with small solar panels that connect to a battery system that can charge cell phones. We will also present these at EICMA Milan, Art Basel Miami, and Fashion Week Tokyo, Japan.
High-tech wearables, sustainable products, and motorcycles – the real lifestyle.
But I am crazy enough to do more. So, I am opening the Soriano Lounge Club in New York City where all members get full access to our factories, so when you buy a product, you can go to the factory to see the birth of your bike and form a real connection with it. It’s like those apps that pregnant women have, that compare the size of their baby to a walnut or avocado. With us, you are buying something that is customised, so you want to see this “baby” grow.
My slogan or tagline is: Where engineering meets fashion.
There is a reason why a Lamborghini and Ferrari are popular by word of mouth, and a Toyota is not. I want to unite that gap between engineering and fashion, between the US and Europe.
I also want to create the Soriano Foundation for the education of children, because they are the future.

I’m intrigued by these high-tech wearables. Can you tell us more? 
Smart wearables are, for example, elbow patches that a rider can put on their jacket that have a sensor that will vibrate when a car is coming through on their left or right, like the sensors that are in cars today. It will help to eliminate blind spots and the need for riders to turn their heads, when maintaining straight vision is critical for safety.
Helmets will also be able to connect to a mobile device, allowing the rider to know what is going on within their periphery, exactly the same way that cars today have 360° satellite vision when parking and driving.
We figured that a Ducati rider is not going to switch to buying a Soriano if it doesn’t have the same features or better. In style and design, you can almost compare us to Ducati, but we are a superior product because of the engineering thought behind it, including its unique international lifestyle.
Is sustainability purely a business motivator for you, or do you feel a moral responsibility to take the company in this direction? 
I am one of almost eight billion people in the world, and I am contributing my little grain of salt. I heard a story once: A father and son were walking on the beach when they came across all these star fish that had washed ashore. The child started throwing them back in the sea, and the father said, “What are you doing? There are thousands of them, that’s not going to make a difference”. The kid replied, “It is going to make a difference to the ones I am putting back in the water”.
So that’s my approach. I can’t take full responsibility for what is happening in the world, but I can add my grain of salt.
 
 
 

Free use of public spaces to continue

by: Stephanie Horsman
20/07/2021

The government is allowing shops and restaurants to expand their services on to terraces free of charge through the month of September to help boost summer trade.

As the health crisis drags on into its second summer, the government, the National Council and Monaco City Hall had offered certain shops and restaurants the ability to expand operations onto the public roadway from January 2021. That has now been extended to include the month of September.

City Hall is granting a 50% discount on the Public Road Occupation (OVP) tariff, and the State, through the Commission for Support to Economic Recovery (C.A.R.E.), will cover the remaining 50% during this period.

The establishments do not need to do anything to receive this benefit and Municipal Services is due to keep them abreast of all information.

The measure was created jointly by City Hall and the government to provide additional support to local businesses who are still struggling from fallout due to the pandemic and the continued economic strife that it entails.

Normally, the right of public usage on roadways is only obtained through special permission and a fee must be paid by the applicant.

 

 
 
Photo by Michael Alesi, Government Communication Department
 
 
 

CTTR scheme extended, under new conditions

by: Stephanie Horsman
20/07/2021

Reinforced Temporary Total Unemployment has been extended in the Principality until 30th September to assist in recovery during the summer season.

Reinforced Temporary Total Unemployment (CTTR), the exceptional situation which allows employers to temporarily suspend or reduce activity with pay in emergency situations such as the health crisis, has been extended for a few weeks, the government announced on Monday.

During this period, the normal rules have been slightly modified. Companies included in Annex A must now justify a 20% loss of turnover compared to 2019. This differs from the previous set up which exempted these companies from justification. Companies in the Annex B category will have to justify a 30% loss of revenue during the same period. 

Additionally, for the months of August and September, the remainder payable by the employer increases from 20% to 30%. Those businesses that have been forced to shut completely through government decisions are subject to a 20% remainder charge.

CTTR covers employees of at least three months and employees on fixed-term contracts over three months, including apprentices and interns. Workers on sick leave, those who work full-time from home, temporary workers, casual staff and variable-hours employees are not covered. Workers who receive a daily stipend for looking after children at home are also banned from receiving CTTR.

 
 
Photo by Ibrahim Boran on Unsplash
 
 
 

Do I use Monaco Safe Pass or EU health pass?

by: Cassandra Tanti
19/07/2021

On Wednesday 21st July, the French government will begin enforcing its mandatory health pass for access to leisure and cultural venues with more than 50 people. So, what does that mean for Monaco residents?
In his recent speech to the nation, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that the health pass (pass sanitaire) will become compulsory from 21st July at venues catering for crowds of 50+, including cinemas and museums.
From the beginning of August, it will be necessary to show your health pass to simply have lunch at a restaurant in France, even on an outdoor terrace, or to go shopping in a mall.
It means that these venues will be reserved for people who have been fully vaccinated, have recovered from the virus, or who have tested negatively for Covid. Long distance travel by plane, train and bus will also be affected. The rules, however, will only apply to those aged 12 to 17 from 30th August.
People resident in France can use the country’s TousAntiCovid app or provide a printed copy of the health pass.
Monaco, however, has a different system. For residents of the Principality, the government offers two passes – the Monaco Safe Pass and the European pass.
The Monaco Safe Pass can be used in the Principality of Monaco and in France.
The European Pass is valid in Monaco and in the countries of the European Union, as well as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. This can also be used in France.
Basically, if a Monaco resident has either of these passes, they should be given access where a health pass is mandatory in France.
France’s entry rules will be among the most restrictive in Europe, however similar certificates are already in play for millions of Europeans.
Denmark was the first country in Europe to introduce a ‘Coronapass’ to go to things like restaurants, hairdressers or cinemas. Austria has similar rules.
In Germany and Portugal, restrictions depend on the incidence rate of Covid-19 cases in a specific region, and since 16th July in Greece, people can only go inside establishments if they can prove they have been vaccinated.
Italy is currently looking to extend its health pass to bars and restaurants as the number of infections is on the rise again.
Update: It was revealed by Monaco’s Minister of State Pierre Dartout on Tuesday that close to 16,000 had secured their health pass to date.
 
Photo by Michael Alesi, Government Communication Department
 
 

The story behind Monaco's relationship with the Vatican

by: Stephanie Horsman
19/07/2021

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State to the Holy See, has visited the Principality to celebrate the 40th anniversary of privileged relations between the two states.

In July of 1981, the Holy See and Monaco signed a convention which stated that the Prince of Monaco was willing to renounce rights to appoint the archbishop of the local diocese, leaving it to Rome to fill the spot. This concession led Pope John Paul II to elevate Monaco to the rank of archepiscopal see.

To commemorate this occasion, Cardinal Pietro Parolin paid a three-day visit to the Principality, notably the second smallest state in the world after Vatican City, and amongst other ceremonial events, presided over a papal mass held on Sunday at the Cathedral of Monaco on the Rock.

He spent the afternoon meeting priests and parishioners, as well as celebrating the office of Vespers.

The 1981 Convention is significant in that it gives Monaco a special relationship with the Vatican, as their common religion binds them. Monaco is quite unique in that Catholicism is named in the Constitution as the official religion, the only other country doing so being Malta. The religion is deeply ingrained in the collective psyche of the nation, as well as being a basis for Monegasque identity. 

“It is in the DNA of Monegasque institutions,” explains the Vicar General of Monaco, Mgr Guillaume Paris, on the official YouTube channel of the diocese.

Though freedom of religious practice is encouraged in the Principality, the principles of the Catholic Church were adopted as the foundation for legislation and institutions over the centuries.

The attachment between Monaco and the Vatican stretch back to 1247, when Pope Innocent IV authorised the building of a chapel on the Rock. The relations were unchanged until 1868, when Pope Pius IX separated Monaco from the parish of Nice, then in 1887, Pope Leo XIII created Monaco as its own diocese, reporting directly to the Holy See, marking the start of official diplomatic relations between them.

Papal visits to Monaco and diplomatic ones to the Vatican have been fairly frequent throughout the years, with the last being on 2nd February 2019 when Pope Francis received the National Council saying, “The Monegasques can rely on the founding values of the Principality inspired by the Gospel and by its message of love.”

 
 
Photo by Eric Mathon, Prince’s Palace
 
 

Slain teacher’s sister unveils new name for school

by: Stephanie Horsman
19/07/2021

Cap d’Ail’s new nursery school has officially been named the Ecole Samuel Paty, after the schoolteacher who was assassinated near Paris by a young Muslim extremist.
It was a sober moment on Friday 16th July when the school, originally named André Malraux, was rechristened as the Ecole Samuel Paty in honour of the history and geography teacher.
On 16th October 2020, Samuel Paty was beheaded by a Muslim extremist, 18-year-old Abdoullakh Abouyedovich Anzorov, who was subsequently shot and killed by police.
Friday’s ceremony was attended by long-time Cap d’Ail Mayor Xavier Beck, who first initiated the request to rename the school, as well as by Paty’s sister Mickaelle Paty and the Paty family lawyer.
A plaque has been placed next to the motto and flag of France saying, in French, “Ecole Maternelle Samuel Paty, teacher of the Republic (1973-2020).”
Mayor Beck caused a swirl of controversy when he proposed renaming the school. After clearing the decision with Paty’s family, the municipal council eventually decided to go for the change.
“Samuel Paty was not simply a good son, a good father, a good brother, he had chosen to be a teacher, a teacher of the Republic,” said Mayor Beck during the ceremony. “A teacher that his students described as invested, loving his profession and benevolent.”
Paty’s sister Mickaelle also spoke movingly about her brother and about hope, saying, “Thank you to all the people who were opposed to this project and who finally accepted it. Thank you for debating, arguing about this choice which did not seem obvious to you, legitimate. I know that at one point in your life, you have inevitably met a parent, a friend, a teacher, someone like my brother who explained to you that in France, freedom of expression is a fundamental right.
“Continue to take sides. Samuel has disappeared but freedom of expression must be eternal. My brother liked to say: ‘I would like my life and my death to be used for something’. Thanks to all of you, his will makes perfect sense.”