British EV manufacturer Arrival is closely working with Uber to design purpose-built ride-hailing electric vehicles. Additionally, they are trying to present an affordable electric hatchback. The new Arrival car will meet all the requirements of modern taxi drivers.
Arrival’s collaboration with Uber
After intensive six-month consultation with Uber, the “Arrival Car” has shared its early first look. This prototype will play a key role in Uber’s plan to move fully electric by 2025. Initially, the vehicle will run in London from the next year. The auto company has decided to enter into series production. Besides, they also declared that the car will go on sale in late 2023.
By producing pure-electric commercial vehicles, Arrival is creating waves in the EV market. Their commercial vehicle department recently launched space-age-looking Arrival Van. This van has used a modular electric platform that makes it more durable. In addition, the damage-resistant bolt-on composite plastic panels of this vehicle give it a super stylish look.
Arrival’s views about this initiative
The company already hinted that they are working to make the vehicles cheaper. It seems that they want to beat their competitors by offering affordable electric vehicles. Additionally, they are taking initiative to manufacture such vehicles that can offer an easy repairing process. Their particular manufacturing method is capable to assemble its vans quickly. Furthermore, Arrival car is also applying the same manufacturing process to beat the market.
Arrival’s product chief, Patrick Bion said: “A lot of our technologies are used across all of our vehicles – big van, small van, bus, truck, car, whatever it might be. We’ll have several products coming out in the next few years.” Mr. Patrick also explained, “We’re here to address electric vehicle adoption wherever we need to. Everything we do – it’s not about being a van producer or a bus producer – is about solving the scalability of a product; it’s about solving the assembly process and the cost of the user experience. And we’ll apply that to whatever products we think we need to.”
Arrival’s platform chief Tom Elvidge said, “Electrifying ride-hailing will play a crucial role in reducing the emissions of vehicles in cities globally, providing a sustainable, clean multi-modal transportation system for communities.” Then he added, “We are keen on supporting drivers with this transition by developing the best possible product for ride-hailing that elevates the experience for both them and their passengers, making urban air clean in the process.”
The British firm is trying to follow a similar footprint to Volkswagen Golf through maximizing the car packaging. However, users can enjoy plenty of room inside the car. The rear has spacious legroom which is just perfect for a family hatchback. Additionally, the driver can be able to raise the seating position towards the windscreen.