Einride, a freight mobility company that provides digital, electric and autonomous technology, is now operating live in Norway, following the country’s adoption of new sustainability targets that are more ambitious than those laid out by the European Commission, with the goal of all new heavy vehicles in Norway being zero-emission by 2040. Despite being at the forefront of the electric revolution, with the world’s highest per capita number of EVs, heavy-duty vehicles in Norway still contribute to nearly 9% of the country’s CO2 emissions, equivalent to 4.4 million metric tons of CO2.
“Given Norway’s pioneering work in electrifying passenger vehicles, it’s only logical that they should take a leading role in the electrification of heavy-duty freight as well,” said Robert Falck, founder and CEO of Einride.
“As we deploy our electric fleets and build out the necessary infrastructure to ensure reliable and sufficient freight transportation throughout Scandinavia, we are honored to contribute to these efforts and help maintain Norway’s leading position in electric transportation.”
Einride has partnered with the leading postal service, PostNord – which is responsible for 35% of all postal shipments in Scandinavia – to electrify its fleets. The operational go-live will expand the partnership to its second market after first electrifying PostNord’s fleets in Sweden in 2022. Using Einride’s electric and digital offerings, the partnership will cover more than 1,500km previously powered by fossil fuels per day. This move is expected to result in a considerable reduction of up to 95% in CO2 emissions compared to diesel trucks, equivalent to eliminating 2,100 metric tons of CO2 emissions across three years.
“For PostNord, this partnership signifies the start of implementing green corridors between several major terminals in Norway. By using Einride’s offering, a substantial portion of goods can be transported with zero-emission vehicles, resulting in a significant environmental impact,” said May-Kristin Willoch, assistant director of sustainability at PostNord Norway. “This brings PostNord closer to its target of becoming fossil-free by 2030.”
As in other markets, Einride’s freight ecosystem is based on a grid system planned, optimized and monitored using the Einride Saga platform. The grid simplifies the management of long-distance freight, removes industry inefficiencies, and the additional smart handovers prevent delays in goods due to battery recharges or driver changes. Einride is responsible for all logistical touchpoints, including software, charging infrastructure and maintenance, to ensure a high-quality service.
Einride’s expansion in Norway will extend the Nordic Link grid, first unveiled in 2022, connecting strategic locations in the Oslo region. The grid will further expand southward to connect Norway, Sweden and eventually Denmark along the E6 highway to enable electric, digital and autonomous cross-border transportation across Scandinavia. The goal is to establish a connection between the Nordic Link and the European mainland before 2025. Einride will also establish its own charging infrastructure, Einride Stations, for its fleet of electric trucks along the grid in Norway. Based on insights from Einride’s digital platform, the development of charging infrastructure will be built on key points throughout Norway to ensure electric fleets scale efficiently.
Leading autonomous and electric operations across bordersMeanwhile, Einride’s involvement in the MODI project, a €28m (US$30m) initiative co-funded by the EU and coordinated by ITS Norway, is advancing steadily. Einride is the leading autonomous partner for the 42-month project, aimed at supporting the rollout of heavy-duty autonomous transportation by addressing standardizations, regulations and infrastructure. In the Norwegian use case, Einride’s autonomous vehicle will cross country borders for the first time, demonstrating operations on a selected portion of the E6 highway between Gothenburg and Oslo. It has now been announced the first demonstrations are set to happen in 2025.
This latest announcement marks the eighth operational market for the company, with PostNord joining other industry giants such as PepsiCo, Lidl, Electrolux and AB InBev, in making the switch to electric freight with Einride.