Cleveron unveils new driverless delivery vehicle for last mile deliveries

Estonian last-mile technology company Cleveron has unveiled a new driverless semi-autonomous delivery vehicle for last mile deliveries, named “Cleveron 701”, which has been piloted for the last six months in Estonia.

Designed for retailers and logistics companies, Cleveron 701 enables businesses to meet the growing demand for same-day delivery which is driven by the recent acceleration of e-commerce.

Cleveron claims to be the first company in Europe that has been granted a pilot license to operate unmanned semi-autonomous vehicles in public streets across the country. It plans to begin the mass production of the Cleveron 701 in 2023. The vehicle is being developed in company’s hometown of Viljandi, Estonia.

The lightweight, electric vehicle can drive in low traffic areas such as suburbs to deliver parcels within 15–30 minutes driving range of a retailer, fulfilment centre or a dark store. It drives at a maximum speed of up to 50 km/h and has a load capacity of up to 200 kg. Different rechargeable batteries can be used for the vehicle.

Lower costs, modified for different delivery needs

Supervised remotely, it can deliver goods from a warehouse or store to nearby customers within an hour. This enables fast and convenient receipt of packages in a competitive timeframe compared to a trip to the store for curbside pickup, Cleveron explained. The driverless vehicle also decreases labour costs since one teleoperator is able to supervise 10 vehicles at the same time.

Cleveron 701 is designed as an adaptable, semi-autonomous platform to which the operator can add suitable modifications for serving different delivery needs. For example, it can be modified to operate as a grocery delivery robot with temperature-controlled sections, a parcel delivery vehicle or even a high-tech coffee robot or an ice cream truck.

“We are very proud to announce Cleveron’s latest innovation in 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,” CEO Arno Kütt said.

“Since Cleveron received the first license in Europe to test drive an unmanned vehicle on the streets of Estonia last year without restrictions, we have been amazed at how easily Cleveron 701 has become an organic part of the city life. What’s more, consumers can get groceries, parcels, restaurant deliveries or even ice cream from an environmentally friendly delivery robot,” he added.

The Estonian-based technology company is known for its parcel lockers, robots and grocery kiosk, used by top retailers all over the world. While Cleveron 701 is a new type of venture for the company, the end-goal remains the same as for all its products – to offer efficiency and convenience, Kütt stressed.

“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. 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 labour cost. There will also be less failed deliveries, since the 701 can be deployed from the local store quickly,” he explained.

Providing innovative parcel lockers and robots for the retail and logistics industry for over 13 years, Cleveron creates its own hardware and software, offering solutions that set the industry standards. The company has over 40 customers all over the world, including Walmart, Zara, Albertsons, Asda, Woolworths, Falabella and DHL.