Multi-functional electric transporter prototype offers a more sustainable approach to last mile delivery.
Polestar is part of a consortium of leaders in design, mobility, and sustainable materials that have collaborated on a vehicle to rethink last-mile delivery. The vehicle, named Re:Move, is a fast-tracked reaction to surging home delivery demands, and a clear need to develop sustainable mobility solutions.
The study strives to become a catalyst for change, and the first working prototype has been revealed at the IAA Mobility show in Munich. Announced as a design study earlier in 2021, the project was born out of a series that engaged celebrated industrial designer Konstantin Grcic. Rather than the design study being the end of the project, it becomes the beginning, inspired by the shared convictions of the wider set of designers, mobility, and sustainable material experts at Polestar, CAKE, and Hydro.
“The passion and expertise our partners have brought to this project show the power of great design,” says Thomas Ingenlath, Polestar CEO. “Electrifying vehicles is the start point, not the end game. Our engineers have proven that this kind of open collaboration will accelerate innovation and the shift to truly sustainable mobility.”
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The multi-functional electric transporter is only 29” wide – perfectly suited to bicycle lanes – and is capable of carrying loads of up to 400 lbs. The low-carbon aluminum chassis has an electric tilt mechanism, allowing the vehicle to ‘lean-in’ to turns, improving stability and maneuverability, and reducing its turning circle to less than 23 feet. Disc brakes instill further dynamic confidence in the EV while a dampened rear swingarm is designed for rider comfort and to reduce fatigue. Always-on lighting improves forward visibility for the rider, while brake lights, optional indicators, and a horn help to ensure that Re:Move is visible to pedestrians and traffic.
“Good design is inherently sustainable design. Everyone involved in this distinctive project shares the belief that purity can be a driver for sustainability,” says Konstantin Grcic, Re:Move designer. “Over the last year, we have worked together, engineers and designers, to create a versatile solution that has never lost sight of its purpose. Ultimately, its design is all the better for it.”
With a limited maximum speed of 15 mph (in line with e-bikes) and a 2.2 kWh battery as standard, Re:Move is equally fit for replacing delivery vans to radically improve city traffic flow, or bringing cargo transportation to rural areas lacking developed infrastructure. The frame uses unique composite covers, a natural replacement for plastics and flax-based composites.
“With the obligation to inspire towards zero emissions, Re:Move defines a new vehicle category. We’re delighted to contribute with our high-capacity battery, hub motor, and smart technology,” says Stefan Ytterborn, CAKE Founder and CEO.
Partners involved in the project worked together during a time when the global pandemic meant there was no opportunity for physical meetings. Nor, as it proved, was there a need for them. The use of online tools ensured that the program continued on track with regular meetings and completely virtual collaboration.
Bjørn Kjetil Mauritzen, Head of Sustainability at Hydro, comments: “To stay within the 1.5-degree Paris Agreement target, we need fewer fossil-fuel vehicles on the streets, but we should also be striving to reduce emissions and harmful particulates in the air. Re:Move is not only a low maintenance vehicle with an electric powertrain, but it’s also fully recyclable and uses low carbon aluminum that is made with renewable energy.”
Re:Move aims to spark new thinking around urban infrastructure and mobility. It also goes to prove that working virtually need not hamper creativity, but rather that collaboration will unlock a more sustainable future.
