Swedish freight technology company Einride announced a partnership with A.P. Moller-Maersk (Maersk) to provide its Freight Mobility platform to Maersk. The solution includes 300 Einride connected electric trucks, in the largest operational contract for electric heavy duty road freight deployment to date. The partnership marks the first major expansion of Einride’s operations in the U.S. after opening operations in New York City in November 2021.
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Einride will deliver the connected electric trucks between 2023-2025 and electrify Maersk’s North American warehousing, distribution and transportation business in select U.S. cities.
By leveraging Einride’s freight mobility offerings, which include capacity as a service and software as a service, Maersk will have access to sustainable, cost-effective, transparent and high-performance electric transportation across all points of electromobility. This includes the 300 Einride connected electric trucks as well as charging stations and connectivity services – all of which are integrated using Einride’s data-driven operating system, Saga.
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is a key driver for decarbonized operations in trucking. The usage of Class-8 electric trucks means traffic noise as well as harmful PM and NOx localized emissions are removed from local communities.
“This is one of the biggest deals ever made to make transportation sustainable, and it comes at a critical time,” said Robert Falck, CEO of Einride. “Not only is the road freight industry responsible for close to 8% of all global CO2 emissions – a number that will continue to grow if cost-effective change is not made today – but you also have a world that is more aware than ever before about the urgent need to shift to electric. I admire Maersk for its boldness in leading the way – for standing out in its commitments as a shipper to tangibly make the transition happen.”
The deal marks the first step in the long-term strategic partnership, which reaffirms Maersk’s commitment to be net-zero across its business and value chain by 2040, with 100% green solutions for its customers. In the near future, Maersk North America will be charging its entire fleet with 100% renewable electricity, and it will have the ability to offer customers an environmentally friendly alternative for short-haul trucking.
“Our customers are looking for tangible actions on sustainable supply chains – not just conceptual,” said Vincent Clerc, CEO of Ocean & Logistics, A.P. Moller – Maersk. “Today’s order is an important step in building our end-to-end, landside decarbonisation foundation while also addressing customers’ inland transportation pain points. Maersk has a comprehensive decarbonisation plan in motion for our Ocean activities which represent 93% of all company-related emissions. This order marks the expansion of our ambitions to cover all services across transport modes.”
Einride’s connected electric trucks are assembled to set specifications throughout the U.S., with the initial delivery of vehicles being assembled in California. The announced orders follow Maersk Growth’s investment in Einride’s Series B in May 2021, bringing the partnership between Maersk and Einride into fruition, with the two companies now establishing a partnership framework for future locations outside the U.S.