Autonomous and electric shipping company Einride has revealed it is beginning operations in the US.
The Swedish company has been operating in Europe since 2016 but its range of Flatbed Pod vehicles will soon be carrying goods Bridgestone and GE Appliances, and potentially Oatly, around the country.
“The U.S. freight market is one of the most competitive and to be an industry leader you need to play in this league,” says Robert Falke, Einride’s CEO.
“We have the technology and solution to bring the biggest change in the freight industry since the adoption of the diesel truck 100 years ago.”
Einride will be operating its modular Flatbed Pod vehicles in the US without a driver in the vehicle, thanks to its Saga intelligent operating system. The vehicles and operating system have been adapted for US roads and conditions and they will be able to carry containers, making the transition between sea and road freight seamless.
Shippers will also be able to use the Einride Evolve app to access a roadmap to cost competitive electrification and automation, while the Book and Orchestrate apps will allow customers to order and track shipments as well as visualise data and gain insights.
According to Einride, at least 40% of US road freight transportation could go electric today at the same cost – or less – than on a diesel truck.
The move should be good for the environment, as well. Einride claims that since the start of October last year, its European partners (including Coca-Cola and Lidl) have seen a 90% reduction in CO2 emissions, while matching the cost of diesel.
