Today, electric vehicles typically cost more to buy upfront than their combustion engine counterparts. But a project born at the Technical University of Munich (TU Munich) and brought to life by EVUM Motors plans to change that.

Co-founders Sascha Koberstaedt and Martin Šoltés first worked on their vehicle concept at TU Munich and went on to found EVUM Motors to launch the aCar, a vehicle initially created for developing and emerging countries. The success of their prototype proofed the business model and the vehicle is now produced at scale for the European market in the new manufacturing facility in Bayerbach, Germany.

The aCar is a new breed of modular electric utility vehicle designed to be easily manufactured, affordable and suited for the mobility needs of rural populations. More a small truck than a car, the aCar is an electric four-wheel drive powered by a 48V battery with solar panels on the roof to generate additional electricity. It has a range of up to 200km, a top speed of 70km/h and a payload of 1,000kg – a simple, sustainable workhorse that is low maintenance, withstands rugged terrains and can handle a variety of tasks, from transporting goods and people, to carrying hay and farming equipment.

What makes the aCar unique is its modular design, so it can be easily outfitted for different users. Determined to quickly establish itself in the highly competitive electric vehicle industry, EVUM Motors is using the 3DEXPERIENCE platform on cloud to scale up production. The company has gained the agility it needs to develop its electric utility vehicle at speed with access to the latest state-of-the-art technology including robust design capabilities and a continuous digital value chain.

Read the full story to find out how the 3DEXPERIENCE platform is helping the company accelerate product development, work collaboratively from anywhere and track progress from design to customer delivery.