Source: Zag Daily

In a significant step towards sustainable urban mobility, automotive brand Stellantis has announced a partnership with the Swedish startup and LEVA-EU member Luvly AB, to evaluate its innovative light electric vehicle technology. The collaboration marks a pivotal move in exploring new, efficient, and environmentally friendly transportation solutions.

Luvly AB, founded in 2015 and based in Stockholm, has gained attention for its pioneering approach to electric vehicles. The company’s name is derived from ‘Light Urban Vehicle’ (LUV), reflecting its focus on compact, city-friendly transportation. Its flagship model, the Luvly O, is a ready-to-assemble electric car designed to be shipped in a flat-pack format, similar to the approach used by Swedish furniture giant IKEA. This unique design significantly reduces production, shipping, and distribution energy consumption by up to 80% compared to conventional electric vehicles.

Features of the Luvly O

Weighing under 450 kilograms, the Luvly O is built for urban environments, accommodating two passengers and reaching speeds of up to 90 km/h. Safety remains a priority, with the vehicle featuring a patented lightweight sandwich composite chassis complemented by energy-absorbing modules. The vehicle also employs a battery-swapping system, using two 15-kilogram rechargeable batteries that can be quickly replaced to ensure continuous operation.

Stellantis’ interest in lightweight technology

Stellantis’ interest in Luvly’s technology underscores its commitment to innovation and sustainability in the evolving automotive landscape. The two companies have entered a one-year commercial agreement to assess the feasibility of incorporating Luvly’s lightweight technology into Stellantis’ future vehicle lineup.

Industry impact and future prospects

“We believe that our technology has the potential to revolutionize the way vehicles are designed and built,” said Håkan Lutz, CEO of Luvly, in an exclusive interview with Zag Daily. “The aim of this partnership is to show that we can deliver on our promises.”

Lutz emphasized the growing demand for alternative transportation solutions, stating, “The whole automotive industry is waking up to face a world that is rapidly changing in terms of what users expect and demand from products, and some are more alert to this than others.”

The partnership with Stellantis represents a major milestone for Luvly, marking its first collaboration with a major global automaker. Should Stellantis choose to integrate Luvly’s platform into its production, it could have significant implications for the broader automotive industry.

Luvly’s competitive offering for the automotive industry

“Our solution is a fully viable alternative to cars,” Lutz added. “We use lighter materials, 80% less raw materials, have a much smaller motor, and we have reduced the battery size by 90% compared with a standard electric car, so it opens up a new field to a producer. The reason we are able to reduce the battery size by so much is because one, the structure is very light. Two, because it does not have to accelerate like a rocket. Three, because it’s built to transport people for comparatively short distances inside a city and four, because in the cases where you actually need long range, we have batteries that can be swapped out rapidly.”

What the future holds for Luvly and the automotive industry

Luvly AB is currently in the process of raising €5 million in equity funding to support the continued scaling of its sales and marketing efforts, as well as further research, development, and testing of its technology.

As the automotive industry moves toward greener solutions, collaborations such as this between Stellantis and Luvly highlight the potential of lightweight, energy-efficient vehicles in shaping the future of urban transportation.