Our biggest satisfaction is to see what we are doing makes sense, that we are contributing to build the world of tomorrow. Simon Mencarelli
Rising spare parts costs and increased vehicle complexities have impacted the business model of car repair. Some people even feel as if automobile makers have built impossible-to-repair vehicles into their business plans to drive sales of new cars.
At the same time, in this era with unprecedented – and rising – levels of e-commerce, a new challenge is evolving: how to most effectively and safely get packages to their final destination.
The concept of last mile (or kilometer) delivery looks at how packages go from the carriers’ warehouses to the end consumer, and the impact this has on urban logistics and the environment. In other words: how can you effectively get parcels where they need to go while minimizing the impact on traffic and your carbon footprint.
These two concepts together triggered a pair of entrepreneurs in France to found XYT. Their idea? Develop a Lego-like modular vehicle with just 500 components that are easy to bolt together and take apart. With little more than a wrench, a car can be transformed into a pickup truck and then into a panel truck. At the same time, they focused on having a product with a high level of ergonomic performance for the people using their vehicles as working tool.
We feature XYT’s CEO and co-founder Simon Mencarelli in our Making a Difference series, for his innovative ideas behind creating agile vehicles that are designed to be easy to repair, giving them a much smaller environmental footprint. We also celebrate that his company is mindful of the experience of its day to day users, particularly the rising workforce of independent drivers who deliver packages under contract from big logistics firms, including FedEx, UPS and DHL.
Discover Mencarelli’s vision for his product in the video below, then read a profile in Compass magazine about his company’s unusual business model: their delivery vehicles will only be available for lease on XYT’s online platform, where parts can be ordered to reconfigure the lessee’s vehicle as their business changes or their package volume grows.
XYT is also a member of our 3DEXPERIENCE Lab; discover more about their work with that program here.
Alyssa is a Communications Director on the Dassault Systèmes Corporate Publishing team. She’s been part of DS for over 20 years, in roles ranging from public relations to marketing programs. Twitter: @DS_Alyssa