Uber and Arrival design "super minimal" electric car for ride-hailing industry
2021.12.27
Electric vehicle brand Arrival has revealed the prototype of its monovolume electric car designed for Uber, which aims to offer passengers a comfort-driven ride-hailing experience.
Intended for urban environments where ride-hailing is most popular, the Arrival Car features a one-box-style design with a squared back-end that smoothly tapers towards the front. Its form was described by Arrival as "super minimal".
The design team elevated and moved the driver's seat as far forward as possible to grant optimum visibility, which is enhanced by the large size of the windscreen.
The passenger seating area at the back of the car offers twice as much leg-room as that of an average car of the same length, more than in a Rolls Royce according to the company.
"The overall footprint of the whole car is the same as the Volkswagen Golf," said Arrival's Tom Elvidge.
"But, as you can see, one of the big design features that we've really strived for is in the back of the car, [which] is massive."
The singular front passenger seat can be folded down and moved forward underneath the dashboard to further open up the interior and back row.
Additionally, the boot is designed to hold two large suitcases and several small bags.
In a bid to make the dashboard as stripped-back as possible, all the car's additional features, such as navigation, bluetooth phone connection and temperature-control settings, can all be monitored via a simple touchscreen display.
When riders start their trip, the name and photograph of both the driver and passenger can be shown, offering a "moment for connection".
The car was developed in just over six months by way of "vertical integration-utilising technologies", which saw the team have a hand in all parts of the design process.
It forms part of Arrival and Uber's plan to create an electric fleet of cars that can be used for ride-hailing.
"Electrifying ride-hailing will play a crucial role in reducing the emissions of vehicles in cities globally, providing a sustainable, clean multi-modal transportation system for communities," said Elvidge.
"We are keen on supporting drivers with this transition by developing the best possible product for ride-hailing that elevates the experience for both them and their passengers, making urban air clean in the process."
A prototype of the car was unveiled on 16 December 2021 and will be tested at the start of 2022 to provide feedback for a further design phase, before going into production.
Arrival previously launched a zero-emissions bus aimed at making public transport feel safer during the pandemic. The vehicle includes features such as a zero-touch bell, removable seats and seamless, easy-to-clean surfaces.
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**Source: https://www.dezeen.com/2021/12/24/uber-arrival-electric-car-ride-hailing/
**Author: Natashah Hitti
**Image Credit: Arrival / Uber
