The company behind Walmart’s (NYSE: WMT) in-store Pickup Towers is back with a new last-mile delivery solution, the Cleveron 701.
The Cleveron 701, by Estonia-based Cleveron, is a flexible autonomous delivery vehicle. The 701 was designed to provide last-mile delivery solutions for retailers and logistics companies. It has been tested for the past six months on the streets of Estonia but has worldwide potential.
Cleveron is a global provider of delivery technologies and solutions, including automated parcel lockers, robots and grocery kiosks.
“We are very proud to announce Cleveron’s latest innovation in the autonomous delivery vehicle market. With our new driverless semi-autonomous vehicle, we are enabling retailers and logistics companies to solve complex and costly last mile delivery challenges while satisfying consumer demand for same day, and in some cases, same hour deliveries,” said Cleveron CEO Arno Kütt.
Watch the Cleveron 701 in action
The flexible design of the Cleveron 701 allows for multiple body types to be installed, enabling temperature-controlled cargo for grocery or restaurant applications, traditional package cargo, and even the potential for coffee or ice cream delivery, Kütt said.
The Cleveron 701 is managed by a remote operator who can supervise up to 10 vehicles at a time, the company noted.
“We are used to building robots, where you can go and pick up your parcel within seconds. It is still the future for click and collect, but for us, we wanted to expand even further,” said Kütt. “The online shopping growth has turned e-commerce into just commerce. It is a natural part of shopping. But the delivery times and costs still present a problem, especially with groceries. Consumers want speed and convenience, but it comes with a cost. With driverless delivery, you can cut the last mile labor cost. There will also be less failed deliveries, since the 701 can be deployed from the local dark store quickly.”
The vehicle features rechargeable batteries, has a maximum speed of 31 mph and can hold up to 440 pounds of cargo. It is designed for deliveries within a 15- to 30-mile radius.
The Cleveron 701 has its origins in a self-driving robot concept Cleveron unveiled in 2018. That vehicle was capable of placing packages in a storage locker without human intervention. It won the Last Mile Delivery Innovation category at the Parcel and Postal Technology International Awards in 2019.
Cleveron counts Zara, Albertsons, Asda, Woolworth’s, Falabella and DHL among its global client base.
Click for more Modern Shipper articles by Brian Straight.
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