Africa (Commonwealth) _Using PTC’s Onshape software, an automotive firm is building a line of electric trucks. OX Delivers, located in Warwick, was founded in 2020 with the goal of creating electric vehicles that are appropriate for harsh environments in poor countries.
The company’s electric cars, designed with the help of PTC’s Cloud-native design platform, which incorporates built-in PDM, are intended to offer rural farmers with a dependable and cost-effective way of carrying perishable produce to market as soon as possible.
For farmers, reliable transportation can mean the difference between financial stability and loss due to produce rotting before reaching the market. The startup is conducting a pilot project in Rwanda, giving local businesses the opportunity to transport their goods using their trucks.
Feedback from this trial is being gathered by OX Deliver’s engineering team in Leamington Spa, consisting of 13 members. The team will utilise this data to enhance the vehicle’s robustness, environmental sustainability, and user experience.
Kristiana Hamilton, an Engineer at OX Delivers, commented: “There has already been significant progress in design and prototyping, leading to an electric prototype currently operational in Rwanda. We are still in the development stage, aiming to create a one-of-a-kind low-emission truck that is efficient and easy to construct overseas, he explained.
Hamilton further emphasized the benefits of using Onshape as their primary design platform: “Onshape has greatly enhanced our design process.” Its ease of use and real-time revision capabilities have shortened lead times and aided our new design strategy.
Despite having a smaller engineering staff, we manage many areas of the vehicle design efficiently. He noted that Onshape’s clarity and simulation capabilities enable him avoid costly adjustments and integrate rapid input into his models.
OX Delivers is presently developing a new chassis for its forthcoming model, which will shift from front-wheel drive to rear-wheel drive, a move targeted to the Rwandan market. The business is also working on making the driver’s cab more user-friendly and improving the suspension to better handle difficult terrain.
OX Delivers relied heavily on Onshape’s collaboration features. The team enhances functionality by utilizing custom features created by other Onshape users and creating physical models for testing.
Hamilton also stated that their relationship includes supply chain partners such as Potenza, Penso, and Dana Incorporated. We use Onshape to securely communicate and access design information in the Cloud.
As we get closer to the final OX Truck design, Onshape’s built-in PDM will help us manage our growing bill of materials, he says. This technology is cost-effective for a startup while providing the security and functionality of a larger organization, he added.
According to Jon Hirschtick, EVP of PTC, OX Delivers is altering how things are carried in emerging countries, increasing people’s lives and possibilities. He went on to say, “This is a significant UK innovation on a global scale, and we are overjoyed that OX Delivers utilizes Onshape to tackle the distinctive challenges of developing a customized vehicle for environmentally friendly travel in demanding environments.”
Onshape, a Cloud-native CAD solution with integrated PDM, enables businesses to design more effectively, identify bottlenecks early, and improve collaboration, while also enabling customers to work from any device. PTC’s software is used by a variety of firms, including well-known innovators such as DHL, Garmin, Ocado Technology, and Withings.
Africa is rapidly urbanizing; people are migrating to cities in quest of economic possibilities; nonetheless, urban areas are extensively polluted by gasoline engines. Pollution of all forms is increasing in Africa’s metropolitan regions. One major method to reduce this is to actively promote the use of electric cars.
Motorcycles and tricycles are the most popular vehicles among young people across the continent. For us, the question is not whether these cars will continue to be extensively utilized in the future, but rather how to transfer these vehicles from gasoline to electric power.
African cities must become substantially cleaner and more sustainable. The deployment of EVs and charging infrastructure is crucial.
