Startup from Rio Grande do Sul creates electric minibus that promises a cost 16% lower than diesel

Arrow Mobility, a manufacturer of electric vehicles from Rio Grande do Sul with its own factory in Caxias do Sul (RS), presented the Arrow One Pax, its new 100% electric minibus aimed at transporting passengers in the charter, tourism and school segments. The proposal is to occupy a space that is currently vacant in the national market, between electric vans with a tighter cabin and large minibuses, expensive and too large and expensive for smaller operations.

The model combines the reinforced body of a minibus — designed to meet impact and rollover standards — with the size and maneuverability of a van. Inside, it bets on a flat and lowered floor, high ceilings, reclining seats, air conditioning and large windows. There are three configurations: Executive (16 seats plus the driver), Urban (20 plus the driver) and School (up to 20 plus the driver).

Account that closes in less than four years

Arrow’s main argument is economic. According to the manufacturer, even with an initial investment higher than that of a diesel van of equivalent capacity (about R$ 600,000), the Arrow One Pax has a total cost of ownership (TCO) 16% lower in five years of operation. The company credits the savings to the reduction of up to 70% in energy expenses and 20% in maintenance, with an additional return on investment in less than four years. The batteries are of the LFP (lithium, iron and phosphate) type from China’s CATL, with a useful life estimated by the automaker at more than 1 million kilometers.

From outsourced engineering to in-house manufacturing

Arrow Mobility was born in 2020, created by professionals who have worked at Marcopolo and have been in serial production since 2023. The group started by providing bus engineering services to customers in the UK, Egypt, Spain and India before moving on to a product of its own. The first was the Arrow ONE, a last-mile electric van with about 16.5 m³ of cargo volume that debuted in Mercado Libre’s delivery fleet and won the international iD Design Award in 2024.