Yahoo Autos UPS Vans to Get the Electric Treatment
Arrival plans to build second US microfactory to produce electric delivery vans.
The microfactory approach is designed to reduce the capital costs of starting production, saving space and expenses.
Arrival received a large investment from Hyundai and Kia, with whom it intends to collaborate on developing EVs.
UK-based startup Arrival, which has signed a contract with UPS for 10,000 delivery vans, plans to open a second microfactory in the US, not too far from its first one in York County, South Carolina, that will produce electric buses.
The startup company last year shared images of its toaster-shaped electric van, which will be based on a "skateboard" platform of Arrival's own design and will have a range of about 150 miles on a full charge. The vans will be aimed at last-mile delivery rather than interstate travel between UPS hubs, and will feature composite bodies. The vans were designed with a lot of input from UPS, of course, but could be used by a number of other logistics giants and even smaller businesses that do daily deliveries in a set geographic area.
