Melbourne, Australia
US light electric vehicle creator Arcimoto has announced it is bringing its Fun Utility Vehicle and Deliverator to the Australian market, in a pilot project with Melbourne-based firm Directed Technologies.
Arcimoto announced this month the pilot would help prepare its vehicles for eventual homologation to Australian safety standards.
Directed Technologies provides vehicle tracking devices and other technology solutions to corporate, government and private customers.
Arcimoto vehicles will be tested by Directed Technologies fleet clients specialising in last-mile delivery.
“Our clients are increasingly demanding smarter, safer, and more sustainable delivery vehicles to fit their needs,” Directed Technologies global sales director Mark Whitmore said.
“We see the small-footprint Arcimoto vehicles as filling an emerging market gap between bikes and vans, to open an exciting next-generation nimble delivery vehicle category.”
Arcimoto founder and CEO Mark Frohnmayer said he was encouraged to see Australian State governments, particularly in NSW and Victoria, increase their support for EV adoption with new charging infrastructure and subsidies for businesses and individuals.
Mean Lean Trike
Also this month, Acrimoto unveiled a unique high-performance e-trike using the company’s patented tilt technology.
The Mean Lean Machine (MLM) features hub motors on all three corners and a pedal generator, eliminating the need for a chain, belt or any grease.
Arcimoto spokesperson and three-wheel tiling technology pioneer Bob Mighell said the MLM enables riders to “corner the same way you would on a regular bike with greater traction, more stability and better braking ability”.
The Oregon-based company plans to release the MLM in the US late this year.
Driverless Delivery System
In a very busy March for Arcimoto, the company also revealed its driverless delivery vehicle, developed in conjunction with Silicon Valley start-up Faction Technology.
The Faction D1 combines autonomy with remote human teleoperation, offering a top speed of 120kmh, a range of 164km and a load capacity of 228 kilograms.
Faction and Arcimoto have a shared belief that right-sizing driverless electric vehicles will provide a significant boost in efficiency, reduce carbon emissions, and offer significant cost savings over existing transportation solutions, especially during the average urban trip of eight kilometres or less.
Founded in 2020, Faction develops driverless solutions based on light electric vehicles, to revolutionise micro-logistics and vehicle-on-demand services.
Faction CEO Ain McKendrick said using Arcimoto’s light electric vehicle platform enabled Faction to develop its driverless system much faster.
The D1 features advanced sensors and safety systems has a configurable cargo compartment that can be adapted for specialised payloads, in addition to general fleet-on-demand use.
It is anticipated commercial services will cost less than US$2 per mile (A$1.68 per kilometre) for driverless deliveries.
Faction expects to begin pilot customer trials this year, with production models expected to be released in 2023.
