Stellantis Pro One revealed the autonomous BOW delivery concept at the IAA Transportation in Hannover. This delivery pod offers a glimpse of a future where selling vans and services will be replaced by a complete logistics ecosystem.
The BOW, or Box On Wheels, wasn’t a surpise unveiling. Stellantis Pro One already teased the innovative concept a few months ago. But in Hannover, it’s full appearance was shown for the first time.
Without driver cabin
The BOW is an autonomous, fully electric logistics concept aimed at last-mile delivery in urban low-emission zones. Stellantis describes it as combining “autonomous logistics, electrification, connectivity and services in an integrated ecosystem.” That’s a tagline that can wandering off in many directions, and highlights how the BOW is more about intention than nearby production.
There is no driver cabin. A large front screen mimics a windscreen, projecting notifications like “Delivery in progress”, while a visible LiDAR hump on the roof hints at the sensor stack underneath. A roller-shutter door at the rear opens up a cargo bay of which the exact volume hasn’t been specified.
Stellantis adds that the vehicle will not only suit city streets but also controlled environments such as factories, hospitals and airports. A static concept sat on the stand, while a separate demo model operated outside the exhibition hall for visitors to experience.
Together with Chinese firm
For the autonomous driving part, Stellantis is collaborating with UQI Robotics, a Chinese artificial-intelligence and robotics specialist that already manufactures a logistics vehicle called the Chitu Alpha. Stellantis did not unveil how that partnership is structured.
Maybe the most important bit of the BOW is how it embodies a shift for Stellantis Pro, moving from vehicle supplier to provider of “integrated mobility, service and logistics solutions.”
That is the sort of language you read in press releases from freight companies, but it fits into the longterm strategy of the group, where increasing income from software and services must support the traditional sales of vans.
Essentials for lower cost
Speaking of those, Stellantis also premiered its Smart Compact Vans at the IAA Transportation After the digital reveal before summer, the public could witness these entry-level versions of the Citroën Berlingo Van (First), Fiat Doblò (EasyPro), Opel Combo (Start) and Peugeot Partner (Active).
These low-cost derivatives have been costructed alongside the needs of the majority of users, cutting away what doesn’t really matter to drive down price. It is built around data showing that 80% of professional drivers sit alone in their van. The Flexiseat can therefore fold to free up more cargo space.
This search to cut cost over focus on the essentials also lead to a battery of 42 kWh, providing 270 kilometer of range. The reasoning being that drivers covering 100 to 150 kilometers a day shouldn’t be paying for double that autonomy. However, these Smart Vans are also marketed in diesel and gasoline variants.
Three-wheeler joy
Lastly, a door-equipped version of the Fiat Tris joined the booth of Stellantis Pro. The Tris is the brand’s first three-wheeled electric vehicle, built at the Kénitra plant in Morocco. It carries a 6.9 kWh battery pack good for 90 kilometers of range. Payload capacity exceeds 500 kg.
The door-equipped variant shown in Hannover adds weather protection to a vehicle aimed at urban micromobility and last-mile delivery in congested centres where full-size vans are difficult to park and a worry to manoeuver around.
