Russian technology transportation firm SberAutoTech has unveiled its first fully autonomous vehicle, a mobility platform that can be used for passenger or cargo delivery.
Called Flip, the autonomous vehicle is an all-electric vehicle (EV) powered by a replacement battery module at the core. Fast-swappable batteries can be replaced in five minutes, about the same amount of time it takes to fuel a conventional combustion engine.
Sber said fast-swappable batteries is a solution that removes one of the major current challenges of the EV market—the extensive charging time and high battery prices resulting from expected capacity and range.
The company said Flip can potentially reduce the number of vehicles in the streets, solve last-mile delivery issues and deliver a new type of vehicle that combines properties of a passenger car along with that of a truck.
Flip has the dimensions of a passenger car but has 40% more interior space due to the absence of space-consuming elements with no traditional control panels. It can carry up to six persons.
Additionally, SberAutoTech plans to use the vehicle for robotaxis through a user app in the future.
