“Zero-emission parcel delivery system” developer Magway launched another round of fund-raising in late February. The approach uses electric-powered linear motor and control technology to carry freight at speed via pipes using magnetic waves.
Recognised as a ‘Future Unicorn’ by the Institution of Engineering and Technology, Magway describes its mission as to decarbonise deliveries, a brief that carries an intention to disrupt the $8.6 trillion global logistics market.
Magway has generated over £1m in revenue since Q2 2021 including “development towards its first commercial deployment for a Fortune Global 500 company”. The firm says it currently has a sale pipeline with risk-weighted contracts valued at £98 million.
Powered by Crowdcube, the company is now seeking additional investment of £1 million to accelerate growth and scale its technology.
Magway showcased the approach at COP26 in November, where decarbonising transport featured heavily on the agenda. Poor air quality kills up to 36,000 people each year in the UK and road transport accounts for 27% of UK CO2 emissions, making it the largest single contributor. As parcel volumes surge to 8.5bn by 2026, delivery vehicles are the fastest growing sub-segment representing 35% of these emissions.
Running through a network of 1m diameter underground or overground utility pipes, the Magway system allows organisations to move goods between distribution hubs while reducing the reliance on delivery vehicles and their drivers.
In time, the system can be deployed to connect inner city hubs, regional centres and could transport freight across international borders and difficult terrain such as the seabed and remote rural areas.
Co-Founder and Technical Director Rupert Cruise said his firm was “pushing open new frontiers of what is possible thanks to linear and motor control technology”. He continued: “Reaching net-zero requires technological ambition and innovative thinking. From continual improvement of track performance based on real-time data collection to streamlining carriage design and 3D modelling, our team is making breakthroughs every day to accelerate Magway’s development and broaden its potential.”
In the last 12 months, the team has focused on the development of its horizontal track. It has also commissioned its first switched and vertical tracks at its test facility in Wembley, London.
