EV manufacturer ElectraMeccanica Vehicles partners with Faction Technology on driverless technology
Updated: Feb 22, 2022
ElectraMeccanica Launches Autonomous SOLO EV Pilot Through Partnership with Faction Technology
Faction to Establish Driverless Technology and Remote Vehicle Operation on the SOLO EV Platform
ElectraMeccanica Vehicles Corp. (NASDAQ: SOLO) (“ElectraMeccanica” or the "Company"), a designer and manufacturer of electric vehicles revolutionizing the urban driving experience, today announced a non-binding partnership agreement with Faction Technology, Inc. (“Faction”) to demonstrate a pilot deployment of Faction’s driverless and remote vehicle operation technology on the SOLO EV Platform. Powered by the patent pending DriveLink™ Platform, Faction is focused on autonomous driving AI that is supported by teleoperation. The AI is task-designed with specific patterning to know when a vehicle needs help from the operator.
Faction plans to utilize the SOLO EVs to test their autonomous driving technology as it relates to micro-logistics and ride-on-demand. A test pilot program is currently underway with customers in both the food delivery and vehicle on demand verticals in which the light electric vehicle is right-sized for delivery and shared mobility.
Post-Covid, food delivery and shared ride services remain in high demand in the United States; however, the nation continues to face driver and chip shortages, which is forcing businesses in these industries to increase costs. Faction’s technology embedded in the already competitive price point of the SOLO EV, will allow consumers to pay a lower cost for these services per mile.
Under the memorandum of understanding, ElectraMeccanica and Faction will work on a best-efforts basis to expand the partnership toward the pilot deployment of a driverless demonstration fleet of up to 24 SOLO EVs over the next 12 months. To-date, 3 SOLO EVs have been delivered to Faction.
“Faction was one of our first customers to receive a SOLO EV for its development fleet, and this partnership represents the next step in our ongoing collaboration,” said Kevin Pavlov, CEO of ElectraMeccanica. “We believe Faction’s technology is essential in the evolution towards full autonomous driving, enabling vehicles to deliver cargo through a combination of autonomy and a remote worker using teleoperations to assist. We look forward to working with the team at Faction to test our vehicle with its technology platform and to promote urban micro delivery.”
Ain McKendrick, Founder and CEO of Faction Technology, added, “We have been impressed with our SOLO EVs and this partnership will help to further expand the future of urban mobility. The SOLO EV is an excellent candidate for Faction’s mission to right-size urban delivery and transportation, well suited for our unique approach to combine driverless technology with lightweight vehicle systems. We are excited to move toward implementing our driverless and remote vehicle operation technology into several SOLO EVs in the coming months so that we can begin real world testing and data collection.”
About Faction Technology, Inc. Faction Technology, Inc. is a Silicon Valley startup that develops driverless solutions based on light electric vehicles. Founded in February 2020, Faction is on a mission to revolutionize micro-logistics and vehicle-on-demand. The company believes the future of sustainable transportation is to develop driverless vehicles that are safe, cost-effective, and right-sized to serve a range of use cases for both business and passenger transportation needs. For more information, visit www.faction.us.
About ElectraMeccanica Vehicles Corp. ElectraMeccanica Vehicles Corp. (NASDAQ: SOLO) is a Canadian designer and manufacturer of environmentally efficient electric vehicles (EVs). The company’s flagship vehicle is the innovative, purpose-built, single-seat EV called the SOLO. This three-wheeled vehicle will revolutionize the urban driving experience, including commuting, delivery and shared mobility. Engineered for a single occupant, it offers a unique driving experience for the environmentally conscious consumer. The SOLO has a range of 100 miles and a top speed of 80 mph, making it safe for highways. The SOLO also features front and rear crumple zones, side impact protection, roll bar, torque-limiting control as well as power steering, power brakes, air conditioning and a Bluetooth entertainment system. It blends a modern look with safety features at an accessible price point of $18,500 for the consumer model and $24,500 for the delivery-oriented SOLO Cargo model, which features an expanded cargo box to accommodate a wide variety of fleet and commercial applications. The SOLO is currently available for order here.
For more information, please visit www.electrameccanica.com.