Maybe Your Next Car Will Be Shipped Flat Pack Ikea-Style
One of the major variable costs in producing a new vehicle is shipping them from the factory to the dealership or end user. The main part of a car, where the passengers go, is full of air during shipment, so they take up significantly more space than they would broken down into component pieces. Stellantis is working with Swedish startup Luvly to produce an Ikea-style flat pack quadricycle which ships around the world for a fraction of what it would cost to ship a completely assembled car. Luvly's proof of concept, the O electric quadricycle shown here, indicates that the company could ship 250 flat-packed units in the same size container it would take to ship twenty fully-assembled models.
End-user delivery makes up somewhere around ten percent of a car's retail price, and by nearly eliminating that cost variable, Luvly says it can pass the savings on to consumers with a lower-priced product that comes with less per-unit cost in shipping emissions to boot. Fitting 250 cars in a single shipping container could absolutely revolutionize the automobile industry. Of course the Luvly O is a very small two-seat electric vehicle, so you couldn't fit 250 Ram 1500s in a single container no matter how many pieces you took off, but it's a start, and the tech behind it is simple and easy to implement across any number of new vehicles. It doesn't really matter that the Luvly O is limited to just 6.5 kWh of battery (about half what's in my Harley-Davidson Livewire, for example) or that its top speed is just 56 miles per hour, or even its low theoretical price tag. What matters to Luvly, and to Stellantis, is the construction.
Read more: Here's How Many Times Toyota Will Let Your Car Start-Stop Before Replacing Your Starter
The Luvly O is built around a series of aluminum extrusions with composite panels to bridge the gap and make a body. The company had been working on a small monocoque design, but quickly found that while the design was strong it was also ridiculously expensive to produce and ship.
"Doing that means the panels are super-cheap and we can ship them in pieces," Luvly head Håkan Lutz told Autocar. "It also means we can tailor the panels for different vehicles." The glues that connect the parts set in around three minutes, and Lutz estimates that production by robots could be done in around a minute.
Stellantis already sells a series of massively successful quadricycles of its own, the platform-shared siblings Citroën Ami, Fiat Topolino and Opel Rocks-e. It's possible that the next-generation of Stellantis small Euro EV could make use of Luvly's modular flat-pack architecture. Perhaps this would bring the price down even below the already affordable 7,695 Euro Ami.
"The aim of this partnership is to show that we can deliver on our promises," Lutz told Zag Daily. "This is the first major commercial partnership with a player as pivotal as Stellantis," he added. "If we manage to prove the level of safety and the economics of our platform and Stellantis chooses to adopt it, that is a major thing—not only for us, but for the industry."
Want more like this? Join the Jalopnik newsletter to get the latest auto news sent straight to your inbox...
Read the original article on Jalopnik.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
Are You Looking for a Top Momentum Pick? Why Franco-Nevada (FNV) is a Great Choice
Momentum investing is all about the idea of following a stock's recent trend, which can be in either direction. In the 'long' context, investors will essentially be "buying high, but hoping to sell even higher." And for investors following this methodology, taking advantage of trends in a stock's price is key; once a stock establishes a course, it is more than likely to continue moving in that direction. The goal is that once a stock heads down a fixed path, it will lead to timely and profitable trades. Even though momentum is a popular stock characteristic, it can be tough to define. Debate surrounding which are the best and worst metrics to focus on is lengthy, but the Zacks Momentum Style Score, part of the Zacks Style Scores, helps address this issue for us. Below, we take a look at Franco-Nevada (FNV), which currently has a Momentum Style Score of B. We also discuss some of the main drivers of the Momentum Style Score, like price change and earnings estimate revisions. It's also important to note that Style Scores work as a complement to the Zacks Rank, our stock rating system that has an impressive track record of outperformance. Franco-Nevada currently has a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy). Our research shows that stocks rated Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and #2 (Buy) and Style Scores of A or B outperform the market over the following one-month period. You can see the current list of Zacks #1 Rank Stocks here >>> In order to see if FNV is a promising momentum pick, let's examine some Momentum Style elements to see if this precious metals streaming and royalty company holds up. Looking at a stock's short-term price activity is a great way to gauge if it has momentum, since this can reflect both the current interest in a stock and if buyers or sellers have the upper hand at the moment. It is also useful to compare a security to its industry, as this can help investors pinpoint the top companies in a particular area. For FNV, shares are up 2.72% over the past week while the Zacks Mining - Gold industry is up 2.96% over the same time period. Shares are looking quite well from a longer time frame too, as the monthly price change of 7.84% compares favorably with the industry's 15.17% performance as well. While any stock can see a spike in price, it takes a real winner to consistently outperform the market. Shares of Franco-Nevada have increased 10.22% over the past quarter, and have gained 47.84% in the last year. On the other hand, the S&P 500 has only moved 8.57% and 11.45%, respectively. Investors should also pay attention to FNV's average 20-day trading volume. Volume is a useful item in many ways, and the 20-day average establishes a good price-to-volume baseline; a rising stock with above average volume is generally a bullish sign, whereas a declining stock on above average volume is typically bearish. FNV is currently averaging 762,232 shares for the last 20 days. The Zacks Momentum Style Score encompasses many things, including estimate revisions and a stock's price movement. Investors should note that earnings estimates are also significant to the Zacks Rank, and a nice path here can be promising. We have recently been noticing this with FNV. Over the past two months, 6 earnings estimates moved higher compared to none lower for the full year. These revisions helped boost FNV's consensus estimate, increasing from $4.22 to $4.48 in the past 60 days. Looking at the next fiscal year, 5 estimates have moved upwards while there have been no downward revisions in the same time period. Taking into account all of these elements, it should come as no surprise that FNV is a #1 (Strong Buy) stock with a Momentum Score of B. If you've been searching for a fresh pick that's set to rise in the near-term, make sure to keep Franco-Nevada on your short list. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Franco-Nevada Corporation (FNV) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research ( Zacks Investment Research Sign in to access your portfolio
TechCrunch
7 hours ago
- TechCrunch
How Toyota Repair Technicians Leverage AI with NLX
We extend our thanks to our partner NLX for their support and active participation in TechCrunch Sessions: AI, held on June 5, 2025, at UC Berkeley. 'How Toyota Repair Technicians Leverage AI with NLX' took place on the main stage from 2:20 p.m. to 2:40 p.m. PT, where Kordel France (Toyota) and Andrei Papancea (NLX) revealed how they brought AI from concept to scale. They showcased how AI-powered conversational tools are now helping Toyota technicians instantly access complex repair data — significantly boosting productivity and improving dealership efficiency through smarter, faster workflows. The session was moderated by Sara Bloomberg, Staff Reporter at the San Francisco Business Times. SPEAKERS Sara Bloomberg, Staff Reporter, San Francisco Business Times Kordel France, Principal AI Engineer, Toyota Andrei Papancea, CEO & Co-founder, NLX
Miami Herald
7 hours ago
- Miami Herald
Stellantis still on the hook for California EV rules, despite relief for competitors
WASHINGTON - Even after lawmakers and President Donald Trump canceled California's strictest-in-the-nation automotive emissions standards, Stellantis NV remains on the hook for electric vehicle sales requirements that will be difficult to meet. That's because the transatlantic automaker signed a settlement agreement in 2024 promising to comply with future Golden State policies, regardless of any "judicial or federal action" preventing its latest rules from taking effect. The deal, inked under embattled former CEO Carlos Tavares, was made in exchange for California forgiving past regulatory compliance shortfalls, and helped avoid potentially lengthy litigation between the two sides. But now the company behind the Jeep, Dodge and Ram brands - long known for their brawny, gas-guzzling offerings - will need to hit aggressive state milestones requiring more than half of new vehicles sold by model year 2028 to be electric. That figure rises to 68% by 2030, the final year of the settlement agreement. That's a tall order for any legacy automaker, and especially for EV-light Stellantis as it delays some electric offerings amid waning demand. It also comes just as the carmaker's competition appears set to face looser regulations in the nation's largest new vehicle market. Both Stellantis and the California Air Resources Board said in emails to The Detroit News that they would abide by last year's settlement. Said company spokesperson Jodi Tinson: "Stellantis continues to honor its agreement with CARB." CARB spokesperson John Swanton provided a similar response: "Yes, the agreement remains in place, and we fully expect Stellantis to comply." He added that CARB has been in "normal contact" with the company since Congress acted in May to revoke California's permission to enforce its latest set of regulations. Those regulations, known as Advanced Clean Cars II, would have required automakers in California and participating states to achieve 100% zero-emission vehicle sales for new models by 2035. The standards defined ZEVs as fully battery-electric vehicles or hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, which remain a barely available technology. The auto industry successfully lobbied against those standards. On Thursday, President Donald Trump signed legislation blocking the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency waivers that let California set several of its own influential emissions policies. The deal But Stellantis, according to its agreement with California, is still subject to the rules through the 2030 model year. That means the company will need to quickly boost its electric offerings in a key state representing about 13% of the U.S. auto market. The rules for model year 2026 - some three months away for most automakers - will require 35% ZEV sales. That number will climb to 43% the following year and 68% in 2030. "The idea that Stellantis will have enough EVs on the market by 2030 to reach that level is a problem, because the company itself has redirected its products according to market conditions," said Sam Fiorani, vice president of the research firm AutoForecast Solutions. "And so they'll have fewer EVs out there," he added. "But so will everybody else." Last year, Stellantis offered only one fully electric model in the United States, the Fiat 500e, and it sold only 531 of them nationwide. At the start of this year, it began selling two more EVs: the Jeep Wagoneer S and the Dodge Charger Daytona. But those additions only brought the automaker's total fully electric vehicle sales to about 5,000 for the first quarter, less than 2% of its overall sales. The California standards include a partial allowance for plug-in hybrid models, and Stellantis sells lots of them - more than 103,000 nationwide in 2024. But that still only made up less than 8% of its total sales volume for the year. The settlement agreement, notably, does not bind Stellantis to meet California's EV requirements in other states that pledged to adopt the stringent standards. The company merely committed "to put forth its best efforts to sell as many ZEVs as reasonably possible" in those states. Stellantis agreed to the deal in the first place because it was struggling to comply with California's prior emissions requirements. The company said it was at a competitive disadvantage because the state had previously cut more flexible emissions deals with five other automakers: Ford Motor Co., BMW AG, Honda Motor Co. Ltd., Volkswagen AG and AB Volvo. Stellantis argued at the time, in a petition filed against CARB, that it had been excluded from seeking a similar arrangement. It also stated that the state's stricter requirements would contribute to layoffs at two major plants in Detroit and Toledo. The two parties eventually reached the settlement which included the company's commitment to cut more than 10 million additional tons of greenhouse gas emissions through the 2026 model year, hitting the state's increasingly ambitious EV milestones until 2030, participating in various EV awareness campaigns, and spending $10 million to install public chargers in parks. The automaker agreed not to "challenge or seek to undermine" the agreement. Michael Buschbacher, a partner at the law firm Boyden Gray PLLC, said California is known for pursuing such deals: "It uses whatever levers it can to make people come and do what they want. That's their classic M.O." Extra credits? The deal essentially helped Stellantis get a more favorable short-term compliance path in California for greenhouse gas emissions, similar to the five other automakers who had reached framework agreements several years earlier, said Dan Sperling, a professor of civil engineering and environmental science and policy. Sperling teaches at the University of California, Davis and is a former member of CARB. He said the deal helped Stellantis avoid buying large amounts of zero-emission vehicle credits, which then-CEO Tavares didn't want to do any longer. But in return, the automaker agreed to comply in advance with future regulations. "They got a short-term great deal, but now they're in an awkward situation," Sperling said of Stellantis. It is unclear whether Stellantis will be able to purchase credits to meet its obligations in California, a common practice among automakers to meet federal and state targets. "I think that without ACC II being enforced, the credit model probably does go away," said David Pettit, a California-based attorney and clean transportation advocate at the Center for Biological Diversity. He continued: "They'd need to, I guess, open up the dispute resolution mechanism in the deal and go to CARB and say, 'Hey, what are we supposed to do? We'd like to acquire some more credits, but the market has gone away. No fault of ours." If California does allow credit trading, the solution could be inexpensive for Stellantis thanks to a credit market collapse. Buschbacher, who represents clients seeking to block pro-EV regulations, said that manufacturers who previously accrued credits with the state will have no other use for them. "They are basically going to be worthless, except for potentially selling them to people like Stellantis," he said. "It's a complicated situation. But I suspect that there's enough out there that Stellantis can probably pay its way to this without changing its behavior too much." What comes next Stellantis dealers in the Golden State are figuring out their next move, now that they could face a competitive disadvantage against other brands. Sean Hogan, the vice president of Sierra Auto Group in Southern California, which includes Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram stores, said dealers didn't initially realize what was in the contract after it was signed. The automaker's top brass at the time portrayed it as a big win. But once they looked over the details, he said, the retailers realized "it was not a great thing." "We're all nervous," he said of Stellantis dealers in the state. "If it doesn't get resolved, then business could be very difficult for us, and the consumer." Hogan said he doesn't see Stellantis meeting CARB's EV sales milestones in the coming years in large part because charging infrastructure still isn't sufficient in certain areas. EVs, he noted, still seem to sell mostly to people who are wealthier and own their homes. California, according to the climate attorney Pettit, will have discretion over how strongly it pursues regulatory compliance from the company. He also suggested that Stellantis will not be able to evade the contract. "No," he said. "That's a rare direct answer from a lawyer. If they don't meet the goals, then CARB can sue them in state court in California." Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, for his part, has said he will vigorously defend California's ability to set tailpipe emission standards. He signed an executive action on June 12 affirming the state's commitment to ZEV adoption, directing CARB to maintain public data about automakers that most faithfully follow the now-defunct ACC II rules, and ordering the regulator to develop next-generation ACC III standards for the future. "We won't let this illegal action by Trump and Republicans in the pockets of polluters stand in the way of commonsense policy to clean our air, protect the health of our kids and compete on the global stage," the governor said. "I'm signing an executive order to keep California on track with our world-leading transition to cleaner cars." But Buschbacher, who was influential in promoting that action, was more bullish on Stellantis being able to reap the rewards of regulatory rollbacks in Washington. "It sure seems to me like California is attempting to enforce a standard for which it doesn't have a waiver," he said of the agreement. "And the Clean Air Act says you can't do that. It's very explicit about that." For now, the situation remains in flux for a company that has lagged behind crosstown competitors on EVs and sought a quick solution to regulatory woes. Sperling, the former CARB member, summarized Stellantis' position: "They doubled down on risk." Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
