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For over 60 years now,
commercial vehicles from Volkswagen have maintained a visual
presence on the world’s streets. They are helpers in everyday
life, which bring us people goods, services, postal deliveries
and occasionally emergency assistance as well. Volkswagen Group
Research, which is responsible for the world of tomorrow,
together with the German Post Office (‘Deutsche Post AG’), which
is one of the largest customers of lightweight commercial
vehicles – as well as the University of Art at Braunschweig –
formed a think tank on future transport and mobility issues.
Finally, these research activities led to a completely new
vehicle concept for the delivery and logistics field: eT! |
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Prof. Dr. Jürgen Leohold, Director of
Volkswagen Group Research: “We analysed process flows and customer needs
in detail, and from these analyses we derived ideas on how the segment
of delivery and courier vehicles could be further developed over the
long term. In this context, we focused on zero-emissions driving and
available space in urban areas, semiautomatic driving functions that
offer relevant support and simplify work processes and the integration
of new communication technologies. On top of that, we also set out to
design a very emotionally appealing commercial vehicle. To attain these
goals, our teams not only looked towards the future from the past, but
also worked from a future perspective to implement an advanced
development concept based on technologies available today.” |
The eT! research vehicle could someday
actually revolutionise the world of lightweight commercial vehicles.
Completely reconceptualised, driven with zero emissions, thought through
to the last detail and driving semi-automatically if necessary! Just how
wide-ranging the significance of this research project could be for
sustainability in the transportation field is underscored by the support
for the eT! project by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment,
Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety. “The eT! research vehicle,”
explains Dr. Wolfgang Schreiber, spokesperson for the Board of
Management of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, “unifies a whole gamut of
innovative functions, which will gain in future importance, specifically
for logistics businesses. In particular, the possibility of driving the
car semi-automatically – and electrically – in downtown areas unifies
economical and environmental aspects more systematically than ever. As a
vision of the future, the eT! Is showcasing what is the maximum feasible
technology for electric vehicles in the commercial market today with a
special design that systematically addresses future customer needs.”
“eT! is a pure electrically powered
transporter that systematically transfers E-mobility to the area of
commercial use,” says Dr. Rudolf Krebs, Group Manager for Electric
Traction at Volkswagen AG. And continues: “As a transport specialist,
the eT! is advancing to become the automotive building block for an
innovative, future-oriented logistics concept, which not only drives
with zero emissions in urban areas – thanks to its electric wheel hub
motors – but also offers maximum freedom in manoeuvering and turning as
well as optimal utilisation of the vehicle’s interior space. If
‘refuelled’ with electricity generated from renewable energy sources,
the eT! can indeed be operated with zero emissions. Naturally, the eT!
is not a vehicle which – unlike the Golf or up! with an electric motor –
could become available very soon. But we must make plans today for what
the world of lightweight commercial vehicles might look like starting in
the second half of this decade, including with regard to electrical
drives.”
To make the working world of mail
delivery personnel and courier drivers simpler and safer, to optimise
the logistics of delivery and to shorten delivery times, eT! can be
operated semiautomatically in certain situations. The car can follow the
delivery person from house to house (“Follow me”), or the car can return
to the delivery person on command (“Come to me”) – driverless! As an
alternative, the driver can direct the car’s movements via a ‘drive
stick’ from the passenger’s side that also offers a standing seat and
quick access to the vehicle. On the passenger’s side – the side that
faces the sidewalk and therefore the working area of the delivery person
– there is therefore an electrically opening sliding door that opens to
2 different stages; this enables extremely quick entry into the vehicle
as well as quick access to the mail parcels. This makes unnecessary
walking movements around the vehicle a thing of the past.
Variants of this lightweight transport
vehicle could be implemented for all conceivable business uses. And
these derived concepts are also the focus of research activities.
Meanwhile, the eT! concept shown in a world premiere at the Design
Centre of Potsdam was specially designed for delivery of mail shipments
of all types. The research vehicle will now be integrated in a driving
test study and further analysed.
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