Arrival reveals ride-hailing EV co-developed with Uber
Electric vehicle maker Arrival has revealed the first finished prototype of the Arrival Car, developed specifically for the ride hailing sector and imminently starting testing.
Announced earlier this year and designed in partnership with Uber, it’s intended to ‘to create the best possible experience for ride-hailing”; from onboard comfort to zero tailpipe emissions.
Visibility and comfort are both said to be exceptional and the Arrival Car promises leg room twice as large as that of an average car of the same length. It also prioritises cost, uptime, driver comfort, safety and convenience for drivers, while ensuring that passengers enjoy a “premium experience” too.
Tom Elvidge, EVP vehicle platforms at Arrival, 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. 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 prototype has been developed with Uber in just over six months – a timeframe said to be possible due to Arrival’s vertical integration approach that draws on a vehicle portfolio that also includes the Van and the Bus.
Arrival also says its microfactories bring a totally transformative approach to automotive production. These provide decentralised production in cities around the world, manufacturing vehicles close to areas of demand. The first three microfactories are in North and South Carolina in the US, as well as Bicester in the UK. Arrival also announced last week that it’s investing $11.5m (£8.7m) to build a high-voltage battery module assembly plant in North Carolina to provide batteries for its electric buses and vans.
Testing of the new Arrival Car will now start and Arrival will incorporate the feedback into the next design phase.
Jamie Heywood, regional general manager for Northern and Eastern Europe at Uber, said: “The first reveal of the Arrival Car is an exciting moment for Uber drivers, who are switching to electric vehicles at a much faster rate than the mass market. Uber drivers have been working with Arrival to provide feedback on the design of the first purpose built, fully electric car for the ride-hailing industry. This exciting new vehicle will support our commitment for all cars on the app in London to be fully electric by 2025, helping to drive a green recovery and clean up urban transport.”
It’s the latest major partnership by Arrival; in January 2020, delivery giant UPS announced that it had invested in the firm and ordered an initial 10,000 purpose-built electric commercial vehicles, accelerating its transition to a zero-emissions fleet. In the same month, Arrival also secured an £85m investment from Hyundai and Kia to develop “competitively priced” small- and medium-sized electric vans.
More recently, it tied up with Microsoft to develop an open data platform for vehicles and fleets, enabling advanced uses of telemetry and data management.
Natalie Middleton
Natalie has worked as a fleet journalist for nearly 20 years, previously as assistant editor on the former Company Car magazine before joining Fleet World in 2006. Prior to this, she worked on a range of B2B titles, including Insurance Age and Insurance Day. Natalie edits all the Fleet World websites and newsletters, and loves to hear about any latest industry news - or gossip.