Designed for emerging markets, the affordable EVs are commercial vehicles that include a truck and taxi
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by Michael Gauthier
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Electric vehicle startups are a dime a dozen, but the latest hails from the United Kingdom and promises to change the world.
Now that you’ve completed the obligatory eye roll, we’ll explain that Helixx wants to operate with a unique “factory in a box” model to bring electric vehicles to emerging markets. As the firm explained, they want to have a series of “licensed hubs” that manufacture, sell, repair, and recycle a family of affordable EVs.
Helixx claims these hubs can be operational in as little as 180 days and potential owners will be asked a few simple questions such as the amount of space available. The company will then “prescribe the most effective manufacturing methodologies, including the number of staff needed, cost, and optimum production volume.”
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The company went on to say they’ll “fully manage the entire onboarding process for hub partners, from the establishment of the factory and equipment installation to training staff and commercial support with local fleet operators.” The hubs can be built virtually anywhere in the world and they’ll use local supply chains as much as possible. Helixx is initially targeting the Asia Pacific region for franchises, but the company also has an eye on India, South America, and the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region.
Putting the hubs aside, the company envisions a lineup of four commercial EVs that can be obtained on a subscription basis for as little as $0.25 (£0.20 / €0.23) per hour. That sounds impossibly cheap given the subscription includes insurance coverage as well as maintenance and repairs, all without a down payment.
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The lineup is slated to include the Cargo, which is designed for last-mile delivery fleets. It has a 1,102-pound (500 kg) payload capacity as well as a cargo volume of 74.2 cubic feet (2,100 liters). Customers who need to haul taller items can opt for the Truck, which is slated to have a 17.7 square foot (1.64 square meters) bed.
The company also plans a passenger-focused Ride model designed for taxi fleets as well as ride-hailing applications. A similar Tuk version would essentially be the same thing, but without the doors.
Helixx says the models are “engineered to comply with L7e heavy quadricycle categorization and will fulfill all regional regulatory requirements and exceed the product category’s minimum recommended safety requirements.” The company noted the Ride and Tuk would have a range of 70 miles (113 km) and a top speed of 50 mph (80 km/h). Helixx also mentioned a 12 kWh battery, which would increase the range up to 124 miles (200 km).
Despite sounding like pie-in-the-sky dreaming, Helixx is planning to establish pilot hubs in the U.K. and Singapore. The company also says they’re in discussions with “customers” in the Asia Pacific.
