The worldwide marketplace for final mile supply autos is predicted to develop by greater than ten per cent by the top of this decade. One engineering innovation that’s encouraging the adoption of EVs on this market phase is the introduction of skateboard architectures. Right here, Roger Brereton, Head of Gross sales at business car elements producer Pailton Engineering, introduces the important thing parts of the skateboard design and examines how it’s significantly suited to final mile supply vans.
The skateboard structure, or skateboard platform, originated with Normal Motors within the early 2000s. Though on this occasion it was used for a gas cell car, the platform has now turn out to be more and more standard for EV producers corresponding to Tesla and Ree.
On the coronary heart of the skateboard structure is a modular platform resembling a skateboard deck, upon which all main car elements are mounted. This consists of the battery pack, electrical motor(s), suspension, braking programs and different essential parts. Proponents of the idea argue that by consolidating these elements right into a single, flat chassis, producers acquire important flexibility in designing numerous car varieties.
A key good thing about this strategy is the potential scalability. The modular design permits producers to simply alter the scale, form and payload capability of the car, with out the necessity for in depth retooling or redesigning. Within the new lexicon of EV manufacturing, totally different ‘high hats’ may be carried out on high of the skateboard platform, relying on the aim of the car.
Though some have questioned whether or not this design affords the identical degree of torsional stability that various chassis designs can present, others have pointed to the advantages of putting heavy elements like batteries close to the centre of the car and low to the bottom. This gives a decrease centre of gravity and due to this fact improved car dynamics.
Skateboard architectures can assist to advance the transition to e-mobility by standardising key elements and utilizing electrical powertrains. Moreover, the modular design facilitates simpler upkeep and updates. Service technicians can shortly entry and substitute particular person elements, minimising downtime for fleet operators and decreasing upkeep bills over a car’s lifetime.
Constructed for final mile logistics?
Having already turn out to be commonplace for EVs within the automotive sector, the skateboard design is poised to assist facilitate the electrification of the sunshine business car (LCV) market. The LCV market is predicted to develop steadily, with elevated emphasis on final mile logistics, pushed by the rise of e-commerce.
If we break this market into its totally different segments, as per a current report by McKinsey and Firm, we discover that final mile supply autos look significantly suited each to EV adoption and to the potential advantages of skateboard platforms. Generally, the LCV market requires versatile platforms, as totally different autos are supposed for various functions.
The modular design of the skateboard structure could possibly be a profit right here, because the platform may be tailored for various roles and specialist upfitters can add totally different parts to the bottom car, for instance refrigeration items for delivering groceries. The platform design can also be helpful in offering important area for storage — one other benefit for a supply car.
When contemplating whether or not EV adoption is kind of probably in a particular market phase, a key issue is the relevance of vary anxiousness. Final mile supply autos are much less more likely to face points with vary anxiousness as they’re travelling shorter distances in city environments. If the promise of lowered upkeep prices additionally proves sensible, EVs might shortly turn out to be the popular possibility for fleet managers on this sector.
The modularity and suppleness of the skateboard structure is one thing that producers of electrical LCVs are turning to. Many new entrants on this market are specializing in a selected phase, with final mile supply arguably the present frontrunner. It’s changing into more and more probably that within the subsequent few years, your groceries shall be delivered on a skateboard.
