The startup Arrow Mobility, from Caxias do Sul (RS), launched an electric van-type car for cargo and passengers on the market. Named Arrow One, the vehicle has its own system called One Shot Loader, which allows it to receive cargo with an external platform, in addition to being easily converted to the mode of transport for travelers.
The One Shot Loader works by means of equipment that allows the loading of goods outside the vehicle, instead of placing each load at a time. After that, the platform is introduced into the van. The company is developing three versions: a manual; one semi-automatic, with lifting by means of a device; and an automatic one, in which the movement will be by means of robots operated by software.
“Currently, the process of loading a delivery vehicle last mile [última etapa do processo de entrega] it can take from an hour and a half to four hours, depending on the physical structure and the number of people involved in the process. With the One Shot Loader, it is estimated that this time can be reduced exponentially, to a maximum of 30 minutes”, says the company’s engineering director, Jocelei Salvador, in a press release.
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Electric car with passenger “drawer”
Another differential of the vehicle is the possibility of changing from the cargo to the passenger function, by removing the logistics equipment and replacing it with a “drawer” with seats. “We created a system that aims to reduce the idleness of vans, as they can be used to transport goods throughout the day and transport employees at the beginning and end of the day, for example. There are two vehicles in one”, comments João Paulo Vargas, innovation specialist at Arrow.
The startup’s van has a capacity of 17 cubic meters and has 250 kilometers of autonomy, regenerative braking and a total recharge time of less than three hours. Arrow estimates the cost per mile to be 80% lower than for fossil fuel vehicles. That is, for every BRL 1 spent on gasoline and the like, Arrow One consumes BRL 0.20 in electricity.
The first Arrow One units will be on the market in the second half of the year. On the occasion, 100 vehicles of the type will be delivered to Unidas, a traditional car rental company that carried out the deal last year.
