Japan's delivery giant Sagawa teams with startup to develop first EV

SG Holdings

13/04/2021 11:28

TOKYO, April 13 (Reuters) - SG Holdings Co's  9143.T 
delivery firm Sagawa Express Co on Tuesday revealed a prototype
of its first jointly-developed electric vehicle (EV) with Tokyo
startup ASF, as part of its plan to electrify all compact
delivery vans.
    Japan's delivery giant said it intends to replace all of its
7,200 compact vehicles to EVs by 2030, which should reduce its
annual CO2 emissions by 28,000 tonnes.
    "We will enhance work efficiency and safety through
(developing) vehicles that are driver-friendly and digitalised,"
Sagawa Express President Masahide Motomura said.
    Sagawa Express began developing an electric compact van in
June with ASF, a Japanese startup and fabless EV manufacturer,
meaning it contracts out production rather than owning its own
factories.
    Chinese OEM producer Guangxi Automobile Group will start
mass production from September, with first vehicle deliveries
expected a year later in 2022.
    Compared with conventional automakers, startups such as ASF
can more quickly develop vans specific to delivery drivers,
Motomura said.
    Still in development phase, the van includes features such
as a wide driver seat and trunk space design that allows drivers
to easily store goods and gadgets. The van can drive more than
200 kilometres (124.27 miles) on one charge. 

 (Reporting by Eimi Yamamitsu; editing by Barbara Lewis)
 ((eimi.yamamitsu@thomsonreuters.com;))