In order to enhance efficiency and sustainability in goods delivery through electric and autonomous driving, Swedish transportation company Einride continues to work on its medium-haul routes for self-driving trucks after securing $500 million in financing back in December.
Analysts deem Einride’s approach to using self-driving and remote driving for enabling electrification unconventional and set it apart from companies like Waymo Via, Aurora, tuSimple, Kodiak, Plus.AI and the now-defunct Embark. Unlike Tesla’s Semi, which can travel up to 500 miles on a single charge, Einride’s CEO Robert Falck maintains that self-driving alone is not the best approach for long-haul routes.
Currently, most of Einride’s operations involve human drivers supervising the systems, but the company is also hauling electrically, where manual driving is primarily involved. Its other focus is to place the truck drivers in remote operations centers.
Efficiency boost for electric trucks with remote drivers
Electric trucks have an advantage in remote operations because a driver is not needed while the truck is charging. Instead, the remote driver can operate another truck immediately, increasing efficiency. This is not possible with traditional diesel trucks, which require a driver to be present during refueling.
When it comes to battery qualities and charging, Falck said that it is essential to have a smaller battery pack that is sufficient for 300 miles and shorter routes. This will allow the trucks to recharge while loading and unloading,
If its plan to operate remotely goes well, each remote worker could potentially be responsible for overseeing an average of 10 to 20 self-driving trucks. This has the potential to increase Einride’s trucking operation’s efficiency significantly.
It would also be possible to coordinate and manage a larger fleet with fewer workers, resulting in reduced costs and increased productivity.
Einride is also optimistic that replacing diesel with electricity and decreasing driver costs will lower energy expenses and benefit the environment.
Diesel trucks contribute significant pollution to the planet, and most deadly particulates from transportation come from diesel vehicles.
As fuel accounts for a significant portion (20-30 percent) of shipping expenses, sourcing electricity at a lower cost would be a major advantage, analysts say. Therefore, Einride’s business approach provides a win-win situation for both cost savings and environmental impact.