Applied EV
Applied EV is an Australian autonomous vehicle technology company that builds the Digital Backbone software-defined vehicle platform and Blanc Robot cabinless electric vehicles, manufactured by Suzuki, for Level 4 autonomous logistics, mining, industrial, and last-mile delivery applications globally.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersMelbourne, Australia
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Applied EV does
Applied EV (Applied Electric Vehicles Ltd) is an Australian autonomous vehicle technology company founded in 2015 in Melbourne by Julian Broadbent and Shane Ambry. The company develops software-defined vehicle (SDV) platforms for commercial, industrial, and logistics applications, anchored by two core products: the Digital Backbone — a proprietary, safety-rated control architecture now in its sixth generation that centralizes all vehicle functions into a programmable software system supporting ASIL-D integrity levels and Level 4 autonomous driving — and the Blanc Robot, a cabinless, modular electric vehicle platform manufactured by Suzuki Motor Corporation on the Jimny chassis. The company deliberately focuses on commercial use cases (logistics, mining, industrial, agriculture, solar farms, postal delivery) rather than the consumer passenger vehicle market.
The technology stack integrates Applied EV's Digital Backbone with third-party autonomous driving software (Oxa Driver, Oxbotica, Ibeo Driver), semiconductor platforms (NXP S32G vehicle network processors powering the Central Control Unit), power and steering components (DCDC Converter, LVPDU, SMCU), and the IoV Cloud Platform with API-first fleet management and Virtual Vehicles simulation. Revenue is generated through four streams: engineering services (which produced $74M cumulative revenue over the company's 10-year history), vehicle and platform hardware sales, Vehicle-as-a-Service subscriptions for leased autonomous vehicle platforms, and IoV Cloud Platform subscriptions. The company employs approximately 200 staff across Melbourne, Brackley (UK), London, and Budapest, has achieved three consecutive years of profitability, has 20 vehicles deployed with 100 Gen 6 units ready for assembly, and operates testing facilities at the ex-Holden proving grounds in Lang Lang, Victoria.
Applied EV's customer base spans mining dust suppression, inter-factory manufacturing logistics, last-mile postal delivery (with Japan Post as an early anchor following Japan Post Capital's investment), and emerging solar farm applications. The company has secured institutional backing including a $58M Series B in January 2026 led by Australia's National Reconstruction Fund Corporation ($30.7M, over 50% of the round) with participation from Suzuki, Japan Post Capital, Barrenjoey, and St Baker, alongside strategic OEM and technology partnerships with Suzuki, Macnica, NXP, Siemens, and CISSOID.
Applied EV firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Applied EV
- Legal name
- APPLIED ELECTRIC VEHICLES LTD
- Website
- https://appliedev.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Applied EV is an Australian autonomous vehicle technology company that builds the Digital Backbone software-defined vehicle platform and Blanc Robot cabinless electric vehicles, manufactured by Suzuki, for Level 4 autonomous logistics, mining, industrial, and last-mile delivery applications globally.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Applied EV industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Autonomous Industrial Vehicles
- NAICS
- Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (33451), Motor Vehicle Steering and Suspension Components (except Spring) Manufacturing (336330), Truck, Utility Trailer, and RV (Recreational Vehicle) Rental and Leasing (53212)
- SIC
- Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373), Electrical Industrial Apparatus (3620), Industrial Trucks, Tractors, Trailors & Stackers (3537)
- akta.pro primary industry
- EV Platform/Skateboard & Chassis Integration Manufacturing (IMACACAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Electric Drive Unit / E-Axle Manufacturing (Motors/Inverters/Gearboxes) (IMACACAC), Agricultural UAV/UGV Autonomy Platforms (Navigation, mission planning, fleet autonomy) (AFAAAGAF)
Keywords
Where Applied EV is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Melbourne
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices5 records
Markets served
Applied EV business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Engineering Services: Over the 10-year life of the company, Applied EV has made $74 million total revenue from engineering services, enabling funding of expansion.
- Vehicle and Platform Sales: Sale of Blanc Robot autonomous vehicles and SDV platforms. Manufacturing partnership with Suzuki enables scalable production. Initial 100 vehicles being assembled with capacity to scale to tens of thousands.
- Vehicle-as-a-Service: Lease model for vehicle platforms equipped with autonomous driving software. Companies can lease Applied EV's vehicle platform with Oxa Driver self-driving software for operational deployment.
- IoV Cloud Platform Subscription: Subscription-based cloud platform for vehicle management, monitoring, and API access. Includes vehicle software updates, diagnostics, and third-party application integration.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Not specified | Vehicle-as-a-Service (VaaS) model |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
Applied EV product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Applied EV builds the Blanc Robot — a cabinless, modular, autonomous electric vehicle platform manufactured by Suzuki and controlled by its proprietary Digital Backbone software-defined vehicle architecture. The platform is sold or leased (Vehicle-as-a-Service) to enterprise customers in logistics, mining, industrial, and agricultural sectors for 24/7 autonomous operations, with the IoV Cloud Platform providing fleet management and Vehicle APIs for integration.
Product overview
Applied EV offers a modular platform-plus-components architecture for autonomous vehicles. The core platform is the Digital Backbone (now in 6th Generation), the world's first autonomy-ready SDV architecture that serves as the safety-rated, programmable control system. Built on this is the Blanc Robot vehicle platform—cabinless, electric, and manufactured by Suzuki—available in multiple variants including the standard [S] compact utility, Blanc Delivery Vehicle, and Blanc Off-Road Vehicle, all sharing a configurable modular architecture. Supporting the platform are SDV Components including the Central Control Unit (core processor), DCDC Converter (power conversion), Low Voltage Power Distribution Unit (fail-operational power distribution), and Steering Motor Control Unit (precision steering). The IoV Cloud Platform provides fleet management with Vehicle APIs for external system integration and a Vehicle Management System for fleet operations. The platform supports Level 0-3 autonomy (SDV-Lite) and Level 4-5 autonomous driving (full SDV), and integrates with third-party autonomous driving systems (Oxa Driver, Oxbotica, Ibeo Driver) and cloud services (Macnica's everfleet).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Blanc Robot™: Cabinless, adaptable electric vehicle engineered for autonomous logistics and industrial transport. Features a modular platform built on Suzuki Jimny chassis with configurable cargo bed and autonomous driving software.
- Digital Backbone™
- IoV Cloud Platform
- Software-Defined Machines™
Products and services
- Digital Backbone The world's first autonomy-ready Software Defined Vehicle (SDV) architecture — a safety-rated, fully programmable control system that centralizes all vehicle functions into a single software platform and delivers scalable autonomy for any vehicle or task. Sold to OEM and enterprise partners as the core technology for building autonomous vehicles.
- Blanc Robot Vehicle Platform Cabinless, adaptable electric vehicle platform engineered for autonomous logistics and industrial transport. Manufactured by Suzuki Motor Corporation on the Jimny chassis, the Blanc Robot features a modular architecture with a configurable table-top chassis, no cabin, no steering wheel, and no pedals, enabling full autonomy and maximum cargo space for commercial applications.
- Blanc Delivery Vehicle Specialized variant of the Blanc Robot platform configured for first and last-mile urban delivery and logistics operations.
- Blanc Off-Road Vehicle Specialized variant of the Blanc Robot platform designed for industrial and off-road applications including rough-terrain and hazardous-environment operations.
- Central Control Unit (CCU) The world's first autonomy-ready Central Control Unit with configurable utility and complete programmability. Core processor of the Digital Backbone, supporting safety-rated applications up to Level 4 Autonomous Driving (driver-out). Powered by NXP S32G vehicle network processors.
- IoV Cloud Platform Internet-of-Vehicles cloud platform providing API-first solutions for managing and monitoring autonomous vehicles and accessories from anywhere. Includes Vehicle APIs (Access Manager, Vehicle Task API, Mission API, Drive API, Pod & Accessory API, Virtual Vehicles), Vehicle Management System for fleet monitoring, and secure vehicle gateway connectivity for fleet operators and developers.
Companies that use Applied EV
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Applied EV technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
AI capability5 records
Feature8 records
Applied EV partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- MacnicacoreStrategic partnership to jointly develop, commercialize, and deploy autonomous driving vehicles for logistics and industrial applications. Macnica leverages its expertise in autonomous driving implementation and remote operation management system 'everfleet' to support phased rollout of Blanc Robot vehicles, including last-mile logistics deployment.
- OxacoreStrategic partnership expanding existing relationship to deliver turnkey solutions for industrial mobility automation. Combines Applied EV's software-defined vehicle platforms with Oxa's self-driving software. Initial deployment of 100 Blanc Robots integrated with Oxa technology, followed by large-scale fleet rollouts across APAC, UK, EU, and US markets.
- Suzuki Motor CorporationcoreStrategic manufacturing partnership where Suzuki builds vehicle chassis and body structures. Applied EV installs proprietary electronics and software in Australia. Partnership enables automotive-grade production volumes with significant cost reduction. Co-development agreement for autonomous electric vehicle platform based on Suzuki Jimny.
- NXP SemiconductorscoreCollaboration towards commercialization of software-defined vehicles. Applied EV's Central Control Unit (Digital Backbone) powered by NXP's S32G vehicle network processors. Joint development of safety rated software control solutions for automotive and autonomous vehicle markets.
- University of Sydney, Australian Centre for Field Robotics (ACFR)minorPartnership to develop autonomous industrial vehicles. Collaborated since 2016 on robotics capability and autonomous vehicle research.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Applied EV competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Oxa: UK-based autonomous-driving software company (formerly Oxbotica) that provides the Oxa Driver software stack integrated into Applied EV's Blanc Robot. Directly comparable as a turnkey AV software provider and existing partner pursuing industrial and commercial autonomy applications.
- Nuro: US-based autonomous vehicle company building purpose-built, cabinless vehicles for goods delivery and logistics. Highly comparable product strategy (no driver, cabinless design, focused on goods movement rather than passengers) and overlapping customer base in last-mile and middle-mile delivery.
- Einride: Swedish autonomous electric trucking company operating cabinless heavy-duty vehicles for freight logistics. Comparable in cabinless EV design, focus on industrial/logistics autonomy, and subscription/aaS business model targeting freight operators.
- Gatik: US-based autonomous middle-mile delivery company operating box trucks for retailers like Walmart and Loblaw. Comparable as an AV company focused on B2B logistics (not passenger robotaxis), with similar L4 autonomy ambitions and structured OEM partnerships.
Broad incumbents
- Aurora Innovation: US-listed autonomous technology company developing the Aurora Driver for trucking and ride-hailing. Comparable as a full-stack autonomy provider pursuing industrial AV applications, though with substantially deeper capital and broader scope than Applied EV.
- Waymo: Alphabet-owned autonomous driving leader operating commercial robotaxi and trucking services. While Applied EV deliberately avoids passenger robotaxi competition, Waymo is a comparable L4 autonomy developer and benchmark for autonomous-vehicle commercialisation at scale.
- Mobileye: Intel-owned supplier of advanced driver-assistance and autonomous-driving technology. Comparable as an automotive autonomy software and silicon-stack supplier with broad OEM relationships, overlapping with Applied EV's SDV/autonomy positioning at a much larger scale.
Others
- ZF Friedrichshafen: Global Tier-1 automotive supplier and named Applied EV partner providing vehicle platform and autonomy-related technology. Comparable as an automotive-grade systems integrator and potential competitor/supplier in commercial-vehicle autonomy.
Emerging players
- Kodiak Robotics: US-based autonomous trucking company focused on long-haul freight with hub-to-hub operations. Comparable as an emerging industrial-AV specialist with similar L4 ambitions and a focus on commercial rather than passenger applications.
- Starship Technologies: European autonomous last-mile delivery robotics company operating small sidewalk delivery robots. Comparable in addressing last-mile logistics with autonomous electric vehicles, though at a much smaller scale and different form factor than Applied EV's Blanc Robot.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Applied EV social profiles
Digital presenceApplied EV compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Applied EV financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Applied EV leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Applied EV subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
Applied EV funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds8 records
Investors8 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Applied EV M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Applied EV
What does Applied EV do?
Applied EV builds the Blanc Robot — a cabinless, modular, autonomous electric vehicle platform manufactured by Suzuki and controlled by its proprietary Digital Backbone software-defined vehicle architecture. The platform is sold or leased (Vehicle-as-a-Service) to enterprise customers in logistics, mining, industrial, and agricultural sectors for 24/7 autonomous operations, with the IoV Cloud Platform providing fleet management and Vehicle APIs for integration.
Is Applied EV a public or private company?
Applied EV is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Applied EV founded?
Applied EV was founded in 2015. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Applied EV based?
Applied EV is headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does Applied EV make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Engineering Services are the primary driver. The others are vehicle and Platform Sales, vehicle-as-a-Service and ioV Cloud Platform Subscription.
Who are Applied EV's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Oxa, Nuro, Einride and Gatik. Broad incumbents are Aurora Innovation, Waymo and Mobileye. ZF Friedrichshafen is listed as an others. Emerging players are Kodiak Robotics and Starship Technologies.
Does Applied EV have an API?
Yes. The IoV Cloud Platform offers Vehicle APIs for complete control of vehicles while preserving system integrity and operational safety. Available APIs include: Access Manager (Identity & access management for vehicle operators), Vehicle Task API (Delegating tasks to a vehicle), Vehicle Mission API (Executing task sequences & logic), Drive API (Autonomous Driving & ASIL-D Motion Control), Pod & Accessory API (Connect and safely control vehicle pods and accessories), and Virtual Vehicles (Simulated vehicle technologies for development and testing). The platform is API-first and designed to seamlessly integrate into existing fleet and operation systems. Developer documentation is at www.appliedev.com/cloud.
What industry is Applied EV in?
Applied EV's product category is Autonomous Industrial Vehicles. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMACACAI, EV Platform/Skateboard & Chassis Integration Manufacturing, with a secondary code of IMACACAC, Electric Drive Unit / E-Axle Manufacturing (Motors/Inverters/Gearboxes). Its NAICS code is 33451 and its SIC code is 7373.