Startup CityFreighter is betting on the fact that, in the future, not all "last mile" deliveries will be completed by drones. Inspired by Elon Musk and Tesla, the company's president, Michael Schoening is developing an all-electric commercial truck. 

　　Called the CF1, the class 3 light-duty vehicle is intended to make short-trip deliveries in urban environments. It's built on a modular platform, which makes it easy to configure for different tasks. The customization also allows for quick production at a low cost.  

　　"Our modular approach significantly reduces tooling costs, development time and supports our fast go-to-market plans via a quickly scalable production volume," says Schoening. "It will allow us to rapidly develop different designs for different customers' value-chain requirements."

　　So far, there are two concept models: the CF1 Basic (a cab and chassis) and the CF1 City (a box truck). The enclosed version has a cargo volume of up to 706 cf³. Both variants have an anticipated payload capacity of 5070 lbs, and a range of 100 miles with the "basic" battery. An optional extended-range "Battery Select" upgrade is under development.

　　Another hope is that the truck will eventually have autonomous driving capabilities, allowing for remote operation with a mobile app.

　　To compliment the truck, CityFreighter has an intelligent mobile hub system in the works. The design employs a cargo box that automatically detaches from the truck bed and moves itself into a parking spot to be unloaded. These mobile hubs would be placed within cities where other delivery services can finish distribution.

　　Where is the  CF1 project as of now? According to CityFreighter, the cabin and chassis are already in production.  They are currently working on the battery system, CAN-bus network, and software.The company hopes to roll out the first prototype in 2019 after fund-raising is complete.