Cargo is an autonomous EV for grocery shopping and delivery. Powered by solar energy, no charging cable or charging station is needed anymore. Once an online order is received, it will help the staff at the grocery store collect groceries as a shopping cart, and then deliver groceries to the customer as a delivery vehicle. Cargo is a 3rd party grocery delivery solution, providing services to both supermarkets and consumers (B2B2C).

Design Innovation:

The most common category people shop online is grocery during the pandemic, and many of them will keep the same habit even after the pandemic. In China, where the number of packages being shipped is huge, mailboxes are not enough anymore. Commonly, couriers have to place the packages on the sidewalk, then call and wait for customers to come and pick up the packages. Customers usually have a hard time identifying their packages because all boxes look identical. This entire process costs extra time, effort, and space. Meanwhile, many couriers ride tricycles that have no protection on the driver's seat. Cargo is designed to optimize the grocery delivery and transit experience so both couriers and the customers are easier. It requires no driver, no gasoline, and comes with large space that will only serve one household per order.

The journey map of Cargo will be:

1. Once received the online order, Cargo will lead the grocery store staff to the shelf. Then the staff will place the goods into the vehicle.

2. When departure, consumers can observe the status of their groceries inside the car and vehicle location through a dedicated APP.The battery will be

3. charged by solar energy on the way.

4. Once arrived, the consumer will receive notifications through the APP.

5. A unique QR code will be generated for the consumer to unlock Cargo's container.

6. Cargo will go back to the grocery store and stand by for the next order.

Benefit to User:

1. Time-saving: Online shopping lets people purchase and receive their groceries without physically being in the grocery store.

2. One car per order: Consumers don't have to find their packages from many identical boxes because one Cargo unit serves one order.

3. Stable and secured: Foldable dividers are designed in the container so it's capable to secure bags in different numbers and sizes.

Benefit to Client:

1. Autonomous EV helps grocery stores save manpower and energy.

2. This is a symmetrical car. The front and back panel are the same. By doing so, the cost of production, maintenance, and repairing will be largely reduced.

3. EVs are supposed to be sustainable, but building and maintaining charging stations will consume extra resources and power. Cargo is powered by solar energy, which means it doesn't require a charging cable and charging stations. Extra power from the sun will be saved against rainy and snowy weather. It further reduces the cost of production and it's even more sustainable than traditional EVs.

Benefit to Society:

1. Cargo will become a part of the city's infrastructure. It's a product and service, just like a bus or a taxi.

2. Cargo is highly sustainable. It's powered by solar energy so we don't need to build any extra charging stations in the city.

3. Cargo is a much smaller and smarter vehicle than the traditional delivery van or tricycle, it will greatly relieve the traffic pressure.

Appropriate Aesthetics:

1. There are no hard edges being implemented into the design language. Not only does it become more stable aerodynamically, but also becomes more friendly-looking as a grocery delivery vehicle.

2. This is a symmetrical car. The front and back panel are the same. By doing so, the cost of production, maintenance, and repairing will be largely reduced.

3. The triangle texture is inspired by the grids on a conventional shopping cart. It reminds people this is not only a delivery vehicle but also a shopping cart.

4. The large container is designed for one household per order. It can be divided into smaller cells based on order size.

Specs:

Cargo is mainly made of steel, aluminum alloy, and carbon fiber. The height of it is 110cm, the width of it is 120cm, and the length of it is 160cm. The estimated weight is about 400kg. The retail cost of Cargo will be about $6,000.