About us

Founders, what we do, our experience.

Founders

The story of Open Energy is about two minds coming together at the right time, with the right experience and vision.

Tin Hang Liu and Gianni Arena started their journey under Giorgetto Giugiaro, a legendary figure in automotive design and engineering. Giugiaro’s impact goes beyond style—his work shaped how millions of vehicles are built and used worldwide. Tin, alongside his father, developed one of Giugiaro’s first electric vehicles, which was later sold to an Asian group. At the same time, Tin and his father helped drive significant business growth, bringing in substantial investments from Asian markets and strengthening Giugiaro’s global presence. The cars produced within Giugiaro’s ecosystem met the highest safety and regulatory standards and were manufactured in large numbers, setting benchmarks for the industry.

Gianni worked at the heart of engineering, making sure that advanced designs became real, functional vehicles. His expertise helped bring numerous models into mass production for leading automotive brands, ensuring they met the highest standards of quality and performance.

As their careers evolved, Tin ventured into the tech world, gaining experience in startups and innovation in places like Silicon Valley. Learning from industry leaders such as Sam Altman, he sharpened his ability to solve big problems with smart, scalable solutions.

When Tin and Gianni joined forces again, they saw a clear opportunity: transportation and energy systems were outdated, costly, and inefficient. They believed in a better way—one that was practical, sustainable, and accessible. This vision led to the creation of Open Energy.

Today, their work is making a real impact. Businesses in logistics, ridesharing, and energy sectors see the value in what they have built. Their solutions, powered by artificial intelligence and advanced energy systems, are helping reshape how people and goods move around the world.

What makes this partnership stand out is the way Tin and Gianni complement each other. Gianni brings deep engineering expertise, ensuring that everything they build works at scale. Tin connects the dots between technology, business, and global markets, making sure their solutions reach the right people.

Tin Hang Liu has over 20 years of experience working in automotive, electric vehicles, software development, and startups. He is a Y Combinator alumus and serves as an entrepreneur and keynote speaker, focusing on topics such as innovation, AI, technology, new mobility, energy solutions, and climate change.

Tin contributed to Automotive projects at Italdesign Giugiaro, a globally recognized engineering and design firm (now part of Volkswagen), which has worked with brands like Lamborghini, Maserati, Lotus, and FCA. During his time there, he collaborated with his father on MyCar, an electric vehicle developed in 2003. The project was later acquired by Innovech, an Asian-based group. His work reflects a commitment to advancing sustainable transportation and energy solutions. Bio: link.

Tin Hang Liu

Founder & CEO, Linkedin

Gianni Arena is a seasoned professional with over 30 years of experience in the automotive industry, working across Europe and Asia. Since 1999, he has been involved in projects at Italdesign Giugiaro, a globally recognized engineering and design firm (now part of Volkswagen), contributing to work for brands such as Lamborghini, Ferrari, Volkswagen, BMW, FCA Group, and various Chinese manufacturers.

Gianni has played a key role in setting up new electric car projects for several Chinese automakers. Notably, he contributed to the development of four production cars for Qoros in Shanghai, including an SUV, hatchback, and sedan, which achieved the highest safety standards in China for the first time (Euro NCAP 5 stars). He also worked with Techrules, a Chinese company specializing in high-performance sports cars.

Gianni Arena

Co-founder & CTO, Linkedin

🇺🇸 Silicon Valley meets the 🇮🇹 Motor Valley

Silicon Valley and Motor Valley come together in a powerful fusion of innovation and tradition. While Silicon Valley drives cutting-edge technology and bold ideas, Motor Valley carries a legacy of automotive craftsmanship and engineering excellence. Open Energy brings these worlds together, combining precision engineering with the agility of modern technology.

With its R&D hub in Motor Valley, Open Energy builds on decades of expertise in vehicle design and production. At the same time, the company embraces Silicon Valley’s fast-paced, tech-driven mindset to develop smarter, more efficient energy and mobility solutions. This balance allows Open Energy to create innovations that respect automotive heritage while unlocking new possibilities for sustainable transportation.

By bridging these two valleys, Open Energy is shaping the future of mobility—where tradition meets transformation.

🇺🇸 Silicon Valley 🤖

🇮🇹 Motor Valley 🏎

Our experience

At Open Energy, we unite decades of expertise to shape the future of mobility and energy. Our journey spans every facet of EV development—chassis engineering, electric powertrains, and cutting-edge EV Battery Swap systems designed to maximize efficiency for fleets. With roots in Turin, Italy—an automotive powerhouse that has shaped global mobility—we have contributed to large-scale vehicle manufacturing, high-performance engineering, and advanced design solutions.

Turin has long been a key player in the global automotive industry, even providing critical support to Tesla during its infamous “manufacturing hell.” Elon Musk publicly acknowledged this assistance in a conversation with John Elkann, Chairman of Fiat-Chrysler, recognizing the region’s role in overcoming major production challenges.

Beyond automotive, our expertise extends into aerospace, where precision engineering, lightweight materials, and energy efficiency play a critical role. The advancements made in aerospace directly influence our approach to mobility, helping us push the boundaries of performance and sustainability.

Our experience spans from Formula 1 innovations to achieving top-tier safety standards like Euro NCAP 5 stars. Beyond hardware, we specialize in intelligent software solutions, from Battery Management Systems (BMS) to AI-driven energy management platforms. By embracing the latest in autonomous driving and AI-powered energy strategies, we are redefining mobility—creating seamless, efficient, and sustainable ways to move people and goods.

This is more than engineering; it is the convergence of tradition and innovation, a commitment to transforming transportation at its core.