52 side-loading capability and a flat floor just 30 cm from the ground. “This has been a key attribute requested by several last-mile logistics companies.” The company has also designed a dedicated pallet loader that folds up into the load bay with the pallet, so that pallets weighing up to 300 kg can be loaded and unloaded without a forklift. “When we went back to the logistics companies with this lightweight, compact high-capacity delivery vehicle concept, their response was that this would be a “game changer.” Stability confirmed The wheelbase and track dimensions were chosen to provide a safe balance between manoeuvrability and stability, resulting in the positioning of the wheels in the four corners of the footprint. ELM has a turning circle 4 m in diameter, making it manoeuvrable and easy to park in dense urban zones – critical features for meeting service times and overall operational efficiencies. Prodrive has confirmed the stability of the design through simulation, Astheimer says. The driver sits behind the front wheels rather than above them to provide a position that is functionally safe but also feels that way. This had to be achieved in a cab that is limited in both length and height, while maximising the load volume within the tight vehicle footprint. These constraints have been carefully balanced with the driver’s need for comfort, visibility and ease of ingress/ egress. The combination of a narrow cab and a single central seat allows the driver to get in and out on either side. The driver is in a more upright position than would be the case in a typical vehicle, with their hips when seated at approximately the same height as when standing next to the vehicle, meaning that the driver translates in and out horizontally. This also reduces the length of the cabin to allow for as long a load box as possible within the overall dimensions of the vehicle. The windscreen wraps around the driver, giving a large field of view of approximately 225°. Combined with a low dash and glass doors, the driver has a direct field of view around the cabin of approximately 250°, while the large mirrors on either side and the rear view camera extend the view around the vehicle to full 360° vision. The elevated driving position also means that the driver’s eye height is similar to that of vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists, Astheimer notes. Engineering solutions for the drivetrain, chassis, materials, manufacturing, batteries and charging are still in the early stages of development. ELM’s intellectual property is centred on the vehicle’s architecture, and the company will partner with other specialists for off-the-shelf or modified parts and subcontracted manufacturing. Range and energy However, they have chosen key highlevel macro numbers around range and battery capacity, Prodrive’s Kevin O’Flynn notes. “We’re targeting a 50 to 100 mile range with a 10 to 20 kilowatt hour capacity target. The former is based around what potential customers are telling us, and the use cases in the urban environment, and then the latter is based around what we think is feasible given the vehicle packaging, mass and payload.” He continues that the specification of the rest of the powertrain is guided by a number of aspects, particularly the required level of continuous power. “Peak power figures will be determined based around our maximum payload targets and peak performance use cases (acceleration, top speed, gradeability) but also marrying that up with what we can source from the supply chain considering our targeted bill of materials (BOM) cost.” EVD | ELM last-mile delivery truck May/June 2025 | E-Mobility Engineering The large cargo compartment has to be tall to accommodate a standard 1.6 m high Euro pallet. An integral pallet loader will also be installed to remove the need for a forklift Central driving position, equal seated and standing hip heights, wrap around windscreen, glass doors, large mirrors and rear camera and a wheel at each corner provide comfort, visibility and manoeuvrability
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