Rinspeed develops mobile parcel station CitySnap

Rinspeed has announced that it intends to develop a new logistics concept with the electrically powered CitySnap. This is meant to address the exponentially increasing demand of global online commerce with sustainable innovations and counteract the increased traffic in inner cities. According to the manufacturer, the concept vehicle already fully automates the loading and unloading of mobile packing stations. Only the driving still needs to be done by humans for the time being.

The company identifies the current delivery processes to the end customer, including ideas like drone deliveries or just-in-time deliveries, as inefficient and costly. According to Rinspeed, the new vehicle makes other applications conceivable. For example, the mobile packing stations could be placed in the customers' own neighborhood or around the corner at their workplace for a certain period. The advantage here is that the shipments remain supervised and protected from theft until the customers can conveniently pick up their packages without having to consider travel distance, waiting times, or opening hours.

The CitySnap is inspired by aviation. The interchangeable system (PCT Patent Pending) tested under all weather conditions forms the core of the electric vehicle. Using this concept could not only save six percent CO₂ emissions per package but also reduce the number of delivery vehicles needed by up to 50 percent. This could significantly relieve urban traffic. The Rinspeed solution could also result in approximately 17 percent cost savings. The company is also confident that eliminating the delivery processes would increase the productivity of employees – a benefit that would outweigh the additional costs for mobile packing stations and the necessary infrastructure.

Next spring, Rinspeed plans to finally present the concept vehicle. Discussions with potential partners for the production of a prototype are already underway, it says.

What does that mean?

Perhaps the final presentation in the spring will answer the questions that have arisen about the concept so far. For example, what happens if customers do not pick up their packages during the period the mobile packing station is in their neighborhood? And how close to their location does 'neighborhood' mean? Is the mobile packing station possibly not just around the corner if it also holds packages for other customers awaiting pickup?

Fiona Nitschke