Shipping News

Eugene’s Arcimoto is once again making big moves in the delivery world. The three-wheel electric car maker is finding a way to bring its most popular model to the front steps of customers. On Oct. 26, Arcimoto announced a partnership with DHL. As part of the deal, the shipping company will deliver Arcimoto’s Fun Utility Vehicle (FUV).

“This partnership represents an incredible milestone for Arcimoto and our direct-to-customer sales model. As we plan for mass production, a seamless delivery solution from our factory is vitally important,” Arcimoto Founder and CEO Mark Frohnmayer said in a statement. “DHL’s best-in-class technology, out-of-the-box-truck thinking, and commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship drive a huge win for Arcimoto adopters, who will benefit from not only from the efficiency and joy of the Fun Utility Vehicle but also the speed and accessibility of receiving one.”

When delivering an FUV unit, DHL will have tracking numbers to allow customers to follow the unit from the dock to driveway. The shipping deal with DHL has two phases, according to Arcimoto. The first phase will see the delivery of FUVs to the continental U.S. states and the second phase will expand to Alaska, Hawaii and international locations.

Arcimoto has expanded its company quite a bit in 2020, finding its place in a pandemic economy where the delivery of goods is in high demand for consumers. Earlier this year, the electric vehicle company struck a pilot program deal to send units of its Deliverator model throughout the U.S. One place Arcimoto sent its Deliverator to was Los Angeles, where the on-demand car service HyreCar has it available for use of gig delivery workers. And Arcimoto sent a Deliverator to Key West for a restaurant delivery pilot program.

This year, Arcimoto has had an increase of revenue compared to last year, and the company also issued stock offerings throughout the year, raising tens of millions of dollars. When the pandemic first hit the economy, Arcimoto received a Paycheck Protection Program loan of about $1 million in May, according to Arcimoto’s August SEC quarterly report.

At Arcimoto’s second-quarter update webcast in August, the company said it plans to grow its production capabilities to 50,000 units per year within the next 24 months. At the meeting, Arcimoto officials said they worked with the business consultant Munro and Associates to find ways to cut down on the costs that prevent high scale manufacturing.

Arcimoto announced the big news during a dreary time for the stock market, which has been hit by the lack of COVID-19 vaccine and stimulus package. Two days after making the announcement, the company’s stock has been down about 13 percent. But Arcimoto remains a favorite with RobinHood app users, who are typically seen as armchair day traders.

The delivery partnership is a part of DHL’s environmental protection program, which aims to reduce logistics-related emissions to zero by 2050, DHL’s CEO David Goldberg said in a statement.