Amazon taps Sweden’s Einride for its electric big rigs

Einride is adding 75 of its electrical dense work trucks to Amazon’s Relay freight web arsenic portion of a woody that gives the Swedish startup a toehold successful the e-commerce giant’s operations. Einride volition besides supply charging infrastructure crossed 5 locations successful the United States, nether the statement announced Tuesday.

Amazon isn’t buying oregon operating the electrical trucks. Instead, Einride volition ain and negociate (using its ain Saga AI software) the trucks, which tin beryllium utilized by drivers successful Amazon’s Relay freight network. Relay, launched successful 2017, is an app that motortruck drivers tin usage to publication hauling gigs with Amazon.

Einride CEO Roozbeh Charli, who took implicit arsenic chief astir a twelvemonth ago, said moving with Amazon is simply a almighty validation of the startup’s exertion and strategical vision.

“By deploying our intelligent level wrong 1 of the world’s astir blase logistics networks, we are accelerating growth, portion continuing to physique industry-leading operational expertise,” helium said successful a statement.

Einride has gained attraction and concern for its two-pronged attack to freight. The institution has developed and present operates a fleet of astir 200 heavy-duty, electrical trucks for companies similar Heineken, PepsiCo, and Carlsberg Sweden successful Europe, North America and the UAE. It has besides developed autonomous pod-like trucks, which basal retired for their cab-less design.

The statement with Amazon doesn’t see the autonomous pods.

Einride has landed this statement astatine a captious time: The startup is finalizing a merger with blank-check institution Legato Merger Corp. and is expected to spell public soon.

While the statement mightiness not transportation the aforesaid value for Amazon, which has a marketplace headdress of $2.7 trillion, it does lend to its low-carbon goals. Amazon has said it wants to scope net-zero c emissions crossed its operations by 2040.

“This rollout is an important measurement guardant successful addressing 1 of the toughest challenges we look successful decarbonizing our proscription web — electrifying heavy-duty trucking,” an Amazon spokesperson said successful an emailed statement. “We’re excited to proceed to collaborate with Einride and larn from these operations arsenic the trucks deed the road.”