Renault poses a triple threat of the last mile

Consolidation in the last mile delivery space is nothing new. Large national carriers often work with a network of local service providers to complete their domestic supply chains. The French automaker, however, is making a new turn in consolidation.

Multinational carmaker Renault (ACT: RNLSY) is looking for a way to combine not last mile companies but last mile delivery modes. The Paris campaign last week presented the concept of the last mile which combines electric vans, electric cargo bikes and drones for delivery in one package.

The solution, which Renault calls the Eti-Tech Master OptiModale, is a triple threat. It has an electric van and a special body that allows you to deploy both electronic bikes and drones. Graham Nigus, Head of Light Commercial Vehicles at Renault Trucks UK & Ireland, stressed that the concept is not only flexible but also sustainable.

“The all-new Renault Trucks E-Tech Master OptiModale addresses the urgent need to improve air quality and pollution in our cities, while improving accessibility and performance for operators,” the Neagus press release said. “Using multiple modes of electric transport, this is a sustainable all-in-one solution that will change the fast-growing parcel market and can be replicated anywhere in the world.”

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The OptiModale solution is based on the all-electric 3.86-tonne L3H1 E-Tech Master van. The cab with a low wheelbase uses an R75 electric motor with a battery capacity of 33 kW / h, which allows you to travel about 80 miles between charges.

Attached to the cab is a 13.5-foot Low Loader Luton body from Horton Commercials, which serves as the car’s “material ship”. It is equipped with folding racks for parcel delivery, but it also has a platform system for helicopter drones, storage of electric cargo bikes and a bicycle lift that allows you to directly deploy electronic bicycles and drones for delivery.

The electronic bike used in the Renault model is the flagship eBullitt cargo bike from the Danish Larry vs. Harry. Capable of carrying small parcels worth up to £ 220, eBullitt provides cyclists up to 31 miles. And as soon as he gets back on board the van, his battery is fully charged in four hours.

Above the storage and lift for electric cargo bikes is a retractable helipad. From there, Renault will deploy drones to transport parcels from UAVTEK. The British company’s Magpie drone is a quadcopter model capable of carrying around 4.4 pounds of payload in up to 38 minutes, making it ideal for short, time-sensitive deliveries that can bypass traffic jams or cross countryside or water.

See: Testing short-term needs for electric vehicles

OptiModale is an operation for two people. One team member drives a van and the other rides a bike in areas where there are large traffic jams, and any team member can deploy a drone with delivery from the top of the car.

The Renault concept is reminiscent of a model patented by Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) last year. Although this has not yet been the case, the Amazon model will allow its vans to last mile to deploy and monitor drones for delivery, using car-mounted sensors and cameras to guide them. The Amazon model does not include bicycles.

Loveland, Ohio Workhorse Group (NASDAQ: WKHS) is also there experimented with the modelthough customers reported serious malfunctions.

Renault is also working on developing mobile solutions at the last mile Mobilize brand. Mobilize introduces innovation and tests technology for electric, connected and autonomous mobility as it aims to support carbon neutrality and the circular economy.

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