UK-based Arrival, which earlier this year got €100 million ($110 million) boost from Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Motors Corporation, revealed a new electric vehicle - the Arrival Bus.
It looks pretty futuristic, but it's not just a render. As you can see below, the company has already started tests of a beta prototype.
So far we thought that Arrival was focused solely on the commercial vehicles (including 10,000 vans ordered by the UPS), but it seems that buses might also be part of the equation.
"Designed with an exceptional passenger experience front of mind, the Arrival Bus is equipped with features that promote a positive perception of public transportation and create an environment evoking a sense of space, cleanliness and wellbeing in a world with a heightened awareness of hygiene and personal space."
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Arrival, which currently has over 1,000 global employees located in offices across the USA, Germany, Netherlands, Israel, Russia and Luxembourg, said that by 2026 intends to deploy 1,000 Microfactories globally.
According to the press release, the low-footprint and low-CapEx Microfactories will be easily deployable to produce highly customized EVs locally, using "a unique assembly technology". Both, the commercial vehicles and buses to be assembled at those sites, and still remain "better priced even at low volumes" compared to conventional offerings.
"The Arrival Bus will be produced in local Microfactories which are designed to be capable of assembling all vehicles from Arrival's portfolio. These Microfactories support the creation of market-specific products and will regenerate regional economies through the use of local supply chains, retention of talent and payment of local taxes."
We guess that the company is working on simple, modular blocks, like LEGO. The modules will then be supplied to the network of Microfactories on order.
Gallery: Arrival Bus
Arrival Bus Reimagines Public Transportation for a New Normal
- Arrival’s Integrated Public Transportation Ecosystem includes buses, cars for sharing, taxis, delivery robots, charging infrastructure, Microfactories and digital services, helping cities meet net-zero emissions targets.
- The Arrival Bus is an important element of this ecosystem, elevating the public transportation experience and ensuring strong economic benefits that reduce the reliance on government subsidies.
- Arrival has invented a unique assembly technology to produce all the vehicles in its portfolio from Microfactories - deployable worldwide to serve local communities, pay local taxes and support retention of local talent.
17 June 2020, London, UK.
Arrival, one of the UK’s largest unicorns, today revealed a zero-emission bus that will transform the public transport industry at a time when it is facing its biggest challenges.
The recent pandemic has highlighted just how essential public transport is to communities around the world and Arrival’s Bus is the tool cities need as they adapt to a new normal whilst striving to make bus travel appealing, sustainable and financially viable.
Designed with an exceptional passenger experience front of mind, the Arrival Bus is equipped with features that promote a positive perception of public transportation and create an environment evoking a sense of space, cleanliness and wellbeing in a world with a heightened awareness of hygiene and personal space.
Kwame Nyanning, Chief of Experience at Arrival said:
"Arrival’s core focus is to make your every-day experience radically better, whether that is your daily journey on an Arrival Bus, or through your work as a driver delivering parcels from an Arrival Van. We are working with cities to make every touchpoint within the urban transportation ecosystem not only better, but also more equitable and sustainable. Recent events have made it clear the world needs to take action now in order to improve lives and effect real change."
Ben Jardine, Chief of Product for Arrival Bus said:
"We are very excited to bring the Arrival Bus to markets around the world and make the passenger experience of bus travel a positive one. By working in partnership with businesses to develop the entire ecosystem around our vehicles, we are supporting their goals of making Public Transport appealing whilst achieving carbon neutrality."
As Arrival partners with governments and cities to create an Integrated Public Transport ecosystem that supports their net-zero emission goals, the company is also developing cars for sharing, taxis, buses, delivery robots, charging stations, Microfactories and digital services that enable ‘best in class’ public transport without the need for subsidies. This is possible because Arrival’s solutions are intelligently designed, with the Arrival Bus priced the same as a fossil fuel equivalent and realising even greater savings over its lifetime.
The Arrival Bus will be produced in local Microfactories which are designed to be capable of assembling all vehicles from Arrival's portfolio. These Microfactories support the creation of market-specific products and will regenerate regional economies through the use of local supply chains, retention of talent and payment of local taxes.