ducktrain

“Ducktrain is the automated vehicle technology platform for the urban last mile of the future, helping our customers save more than 30% on last mile costs.”

Imagine if "Future Mobility" would not only mean the electrification of vehicles, but a real change on our roads and in our cities. Imagine a city center where streets are not blocked by parked delivery vehicles and can be used for what they were invented for: transporting people and goods. We believe that such a future is worth thinking about.

With the Ducktrain, we have developed an electric, automated vehicle system that takes logistics to a new level of efficiency with light vehicles and eliminates the need for conventional delivery vehicles in cities. Ducktrain is the only transportation technology that connects urban middle mile with urban last mile logistics. Ducktrain combines the advantages of cargo bikes with those of conventional delivery vehicles.

A Ducktrain is a combination of any guiding object (leading vehicle or person) and up to five automated light electric vehicles following the guiding object - the so-called "Ducks". Each Duck is equipped with sensors that recognize the guide object and virtually link it to the Duck. This creates a platoon of light vehicles with no physical connection between each vehicle. In a further development step (from around 2024), the Ducks will be able to drive parts of the route (in particular the access from the last hub to the district) fully automatically. This function will be upgraded via software update. Because: Our vehicles are already prepared for this update.

For our customers, cities and citizens, Ducktrain has a unique set of features:
• Ducktrain is 100% electric: saving over 70 million tons of CO2 in European cities.
• Ducktrain fits seamlessly into dense urban areas: emission-free, quiet, narrow, 300 kg payload and 2 m³ storage volume per vehicle unit (Duck), with the use of roads, footpaths and cycle paths being possible. When using Ducktrain, there are no traffic jams on the streets and no inner-city barriers to delivery such as pedestrian zones, bollards or small alleys.
• Ducktrain increases cost efficiency: Reduction of delivery costs per parcel on the last mile in cities by more than 30 %.
• Ducktrain offers driver assistance such as collision avoidance and slight path corrections for a high level of safety and avoidance of damage.
• Ducktrain is flexible: The virtual coupling enables up to 5 Ducks to be coupled with any control object and automated train formation. Our modular containers are suitable for every application.
• Ducktrain facilitates employee onboarding: no driver's license required.