Qarry relaunches with a new production facility
The last-mile delivery vehicle producer opened a new production line in Helmond amid rising orders.
Published on May 20, 2025
© Qarry
Mauro swapped Sardinia for Eindhoven and has been an IO+ editor for 3 years. As a GREEN+ expert, he covers the energy transition with data-driven stories.
Qarry, a Helmond-based last-mile delivery vehicle manufacturer, relaunched by opening its new production facility. The original equipment manufacturer (OEM) celebrated the opening of its manufacturing line at the Automotive Campus in a festive manner last Thursday, welcoming partners and customers to its new headquarters.
The company designed a compact electric vehicle tailored for city logistics. Inspired by Piaggio’s Ape, Qarry’s CEO and founder, Lorenzo Engels, often refers to it as the ‘vehicle for smart entrepreneurs.’ “Our solution is reliable, affordable to buy and maintain. It is compact, but it still offers the same payload capacity as a small van,” he says.
As demand grows, the firm needs room to expand its production line. At the moment, fifty Qarrys are already on Dutch streets. In May, forty more will be delivered, with tens more to come by the end of 2025.
The Qarry
The event kicked off with an introductory moment moderated by mobility expert and Managing Director of the Eindhoven AI System Institute (EAISI), Carlo van der Weijer. Then, visitors could see the full production line of the Qarry and have a test drive. The cockpit, open on both sides, offers compact-sized seating for the driver, who can maneuver the vehicle with a handlebar-as when driving a moped. The dashboard gives the driver an overview of the vehicle status, including range–the Qarry can drive around 83 kilometers on one charge.
The moped, which can be driven without a driving license by 16-year-olds, features three driving modes, which can easily be switched through a toggle. The driving experience is comfortable as the vehicle shows high versatility, having a turning radius of 3.8 meters. This feature sets the Qarry apart, providing great maneuverability in small spaces, as is often the case in city centers.
“Most customers can increase their revenues using a Qarry. Others can reduce their costs. For someone who uses cargo bikes to deliver, switching to our vehicle means doing more deliveries. Compared to a van, using a Qarry means saving time by reducing stops and avoiding complicated maneuvers,” explains Engelen.
Finding a spot in the automotive market
It has been a long and bumpy road for Engelen, who six years ago knocked at the door of the Automotive Campus with his only asset, the idea for Qarry. Lex Boon, the cluster's director at the time, liked the concept, sharing his desk at the campus to make Engelen work on it. Years later, the company is finding its spot in a highly competitive industry.
“Seeing the product that you built driving in the streets still feels magic to me,” says Engelen, proud of his team and enjoying the journey Qarry is having. “It took perseverance, especially in bad times. As Carlo said on stage, many people around you give you advice, but you don’t always have to take it. Sometimes you have to be stubborn,” he adds.
Strengthening the local ecosystem
The mayor of Helmond, Sjoerd Potters, attended and warmly welcomed the manufacturing line opening and interacted on stage with Van Der Weijer.
"The production of the Qarry is good news for employment and an example of how this region is leading in sustainable mobility. Also, it shows how innovation and entrepreneurship come together on the Automotive Campus. These kinds of initiatives give the Dutch manufacturing industry new momentum."
Qarry’s relaunch is a sigh of relief for the Dutch automotive industry, after the shock of failure and then repivoting of solar car producer Lightyear. The compact delivery vans are being assembled in one of the facilities previously occupied by the carmaker.
Customer experience
One of the companies on the waiting list for Qarry order delivery is Tommy Tomato. The business delivers vegetable-packed meals in 350 Dutch primary schools. Lucas Veldhoen is the firm’s distribution manager.
“As traffic gets limited in Dutch city centers, we seek new solutions to distribute our meals. Furthermore, adding a Qarry to our fleet aligns with our strategy to reach 75% of zero emissions deliveries by 2027. With one of them, we can transport meals for 80 classes,” he says.
Veldhoen also sees the value of having direct contact with the vehicle producer. “In no time, I know I can call them and have issues solved, reducing downtime. This was not the case when buying vehicles from foreign OEMs,” he adds.
In the new facility, the OEM can manufacture up to 650 vehicles every year. As production ramps up, Qarry’s concept didn’t go unnoticed outside of the Netherlands, as inquiries came from abroad, too.
