Barq EV: Emirati company launches electric delivery vehicles designed for region

A UAE company has introduced electric delivery vehicles that are environmentally friendly and have designs that speak to the region. Barq EV's mopeds have cooled handlebars and a reflective windshield to protect the driver from the heat. A smart dashboard also helps the driver to find any address without the need to use their phone. The company has also developed an electric bicycle and drones. Barq has already signed an agreement with restaurant and food group Americana and specialised vehicle equipment global manufacturer Motherson. The vehicle maker is the brainchild of two friends and business partners ― Ahmed Al Mazroui and Abdullah Abu Sheikh. "Barq will be the first company on regional level to start such an initiative and compete with big global competitors," said Mr Abu Sheikh. "We believe that it is time that we started inventing and innovating out of the region instead of waiting for some other technology makers to provide us with technical solutions," he said. "Our ambition is that within this year, we will be able to build fully indigenous products that we own and build in Abu Dhabi and in the region." Delivery bikes currently available on the market are not made with the region's climate in mind and many fall short on safety, the executives said. The electric bicycles are for shorter deliveries while the moped is for distances of up to 25 kilometres. Food delivery to homes has surged in the UAE and around the globe over the past few years. The Covid-19 pandemic accelerated this trend with more and more delivery drivers on the roads and increasing numbers of companies offering delivery. "The average person today is impacted a lot more by last-mile delivery than they used to be 10 years ago," said Mr Abu Sheikh. "Each and every one of us has ordered food from a platform and we drive on the same roads as those vehicles and as those drivers. So everybody is impacted. "Having safer vehicles, cleaner vehicles, faster vehicles and more efficient vehicles will definitely improve the consumer experience, and will also improve the general public experience." Details on how much the mopeds or bikes cost were not disclosed. Barq EV also set a Guinness World Record in December when the company’s logistics drone completed the longest non-stop return flight for a drone at 18.065 kilometres. The achievement is a sign of things to come, as Dubai sets ambitious targets to expand a drone-based delivery network to relieve pressure on congested roads. The co-founders have also invested $50 million to set up a manufacturing company, which is expected to be ready in the next six to twelve months. "The announcement of the launch of Barq and its advanced technology in the field of mobility represents a major initiative and an important milestone in our plans for the company," said Mr Al Mazroui. "We aim to be at the forefront of the environmentally friendly mobility sectors in the region, where mobility is a major part of the company's strategy, and an essential factor to enhance the green footprint within urban developments.”