Revolutionising the LEV last-mile delivery market
More versatile zero emission vehicles are needed to satisfy the growing demand for ‘last-mile’ deliveries. This new compact yet highly efficient quadricycle demonstrator could hold the answer.
With the growth of urban clean air zones and rising online sales, logistics firms and retailers are increasingly seeking greener alternatives for their last-mile deliveries. However, many current zero emission vehicles are falling short in terms of reliability, safety, driver comfort and payload volume, or are simply to large and costly for the task at hand.
Two powerhouses in mobility engineering and design have come together to form a new joint venture that aims to put forward a more credible and efficient last-mile electric vehicle (EV) solution. Under the company ELM Mobility, Prodrive Advanced Technology and Astheimer Design have debuted their electric L7e category quadricycle demonstrator, equipped with a cubic load capacity rivalling that of midsized vans.
COMPACT AND CAPABLE
L7e category vehicles are heavy quadricycles – weighing under 600kg excluding batteries – which are designed to be fuel-efficient and capable of transporting either passengers or cargo. ELM Mobility’s EVOLV quadricycle has been designed to be the most capable, safe and efficient L7e category quadricycle yet. At just 3.24m long, 1.45m wide and 2.15m high, and weighing 850kg with batteries, the EVOLV features two configurable load areas that provide 4m3 of load space. This is a class-leading 60% of overall vehicle volume, says Dr Iain Roche, CEO of Prodrive Advanced Technology.
“The concept is all about efficiency,” he explains. “The vehicle cabin is wrapped around the driver to make it as small as possible in order to be able to optimise volume and usability in the load space. In L7e category vehicles, you have limited mass, so the less you add to the cabin, the more you can add to your load concept behind the vehicle. 99% of last-mile deliveries are completed with a single driver, and the EVOLV’s cabin design allows you to enter the cabin from the left or right, and gives really good wraparound visibility for the driver to improve safety.”
The EVOLV has approximately double the load box volume of other L7e vehicles, and is half the weight of a compact van with a similar load volume, making it the most efficient vehicle in this class both in terms of cost and energy consumption per unit volume of goods per mile. The quadricycle’s design accommodates a 1.6m tall Euro pallet with a 300kg payload in the main load area, which can be accessed on the side via secure self-locking sliding doors, and has a 300mm load bed height. The secondary load area, accessible through rear ‘barn doors’, provides additional space for a 1.2m tall Euro pallet and 200kg payload.
Astheimer Design’s philosophy revolves around removing everything that is superfluous, and this mantra was carried through the EVOLV quadricycle’s lightweight, robust and simple design.
“The architecture minimises the driver cabin and maximises the load space for improved efficiency, while the skateboard-style chassis enables a full-size pallet to fit inside,” says Carsten Astheimer, the company’s founder and creative director. “At the moment, many small vans used for last-mile deliveries cannot fit a full-size pallet. Speaking to logistics firms and retailers, many have started to experiment with L7e vehicles, but are dissatisfied with their performance. With EVOLV, everything about the design is fit-for-purpose.”
HIGH UPTIME
The EVOLV has been designed with high uptime in mind. The vehicle’s tight 7.8m turning circle allows for quick manoeuvring in congested streets, while fared in headlights are less likely to be damaged. The vehicle is powered by a 20kWh battery offering ample 100-mile range whilst still achieving a top speed of 50mph, and when equipped with a type-2 connector offers 20-80% charge time of less than two hours.
“EVOLV demonstrates how our collective innovative design and engineering can push the boundaries of what a last-mile EV can achieve,” Roche says. “With EVOLV, a compact footprint can go hand-in-hand with serious capability and efficiency. The vehicle offers the best of both worlds, injecting versatility without compromise into a logistics fleet.”
SCALING UP
EVOLV was one of 10 recipients selected to receive a share of the UK’s Advanced Propulsion Centre’s (APC) £22.7 million investment in ‘fast-start projects for the accelerated development of automotive products with a potential route to market’. Just one year later, the demonstrator quadricycle has been completed and ELM Mobility has been formed to take the concept into production.
“Astheimer and Prodrive have a rich history in developing commercial vehicles together, and the idea of developing a purpose-built last-mile delivery vehicle came to us as a result of these projects and insights,” Astheimer adds. “Funding from the Niche Vehicle Network, the APC and a private investor has supported us along the way to this point of proving out the concept by developing an initial prototype to physically demonstrate the vehicle attributes and to get market feedback. ELM Mobility has been created to take the concept to market, and to become an iconic UK brand.”
Going forwards, ELM Mobility will take the project into the production readiness phase ahead of certification. Pre-series production vehicles will be trialled by customers, with start of UK production planned for 2028. Prices are expected to start from around £25,000.