Mobilize works on last-mile delivery

Renault Group will learn from an initial test cycle concluding at the end of this year to inform development work on urban delivery vehicles in the future.

The experimental phase has confirmed that users are interested in full electric vehicles for a calmer and more relaxed driving experience – a feature widely appreciated by delivery drivers and city dwellers alike.

In addition, users of the Ez-Flex – an agile, compact EV designed to ensure easy access to urban centres – praise the vehicle’s compact size and handling with its extra-tight 4.5m turning circle.

Vehicles fitted with sensors to collect metrics on GPS data, mileage, range, door openings, speed, and stops were made available to professionals.

The much-appreciated large side openings that run the length of the rear storage area are hinge-less and free of B-pillars, thereby making the space (total 300kg cargo capacity) easy to load and unload, the group says.

With the additional input from discussion held with strategic partners, these tests will help fuel Mobilize’s design work on Mobilize Hippo, the brand’s last-mile delivery vehicle.

Two years ago, Renault Group launched Ez-Flex, an innovative way of better tackling the challenges of urban delivery services using an experimental electric and connected utility vehicle with a smaller-than-usual wheelbase, wide driver seat access, and an ergonomically designed cargo area.

Mobilize is leveraging the Ez-Flex experience which included working with service users like La Poste and included the company SEV (Services Ecusson Vert) to collect feedback from the field.

The vehicle’s ergonomics have been engineered down to the smallest detail. The extra-wide driver-seat access makes getting in and out easy – a key feature for drivers with numerous deliveries each day. Rear loading has been optimised thanks to a user-friendly sill height and doors that enable easy access to all areas of the storage area. Numerous rear modules were tested to cover the range of needs professional users may have.

Storage access is also made easier thanks to the small diameter wheels that make for a storage floor that sits 70cm high. Test were also carried out on a range of rear compartment floor heights for optimal ergonomics to make the jobs of delivery workers that much easier.

Tests were also carried out on different cockpit setups, including driver seat adjustments to make getting in and out easier.

A hands-free card for opening and closing doors was introduced during the test phase so drivers don’t have to place packages on the ground.

Special attention has been paid to safety – placement of the side-mirrors has been reworked and the base sections of the windscreen have been made vertical for improved visibility on urban roads. Lastly, given that drivers use the passenger-side exit 15% of the time depending on traffic, this has been made easier thanks to the flat floor and folding passenger seat.

The second phase of tests will help Mobilize determine the range it will offer professional clients in the future, incorporating both vehicles and services specifically designed for last-mile delivery.

The World Economic Forum estimates that 60% of the global population will be urban by 2030. At the same time, consumer habits are changing – in 2023, a fifth of all purchases will be online.

The main issue in the coming years will be price, speed, flexible delivery solutions for customers and people; delivery costs and customer satisfaction for business owners and companies; quality of living (reduced road congestion, CO2 emissions, and noise pollution, rethink urban planning, maintain a thriving economy) for towns and cities; and fast and easy access to the final destination (Low Emission Zones, parking, etc), cost reduction, well-being of delivery workers for transport and logistics companies.

The Renault Ez-Flex is 3.86m long, 1.65m wide, 1.88m high, and has a 2.495m wheelbase.

It has about 150km range (the average distance travelled for city deliveries is 50km daily), according to figures released at its launch in 2019.

Mobilize is also involved in EV carshare in Europe.