Swedish company specializing in autonomous electric trucks, Einride, has partnered with PostNord, the leading postal service in Scandinavia. The goal of this partnership is to decrease CO2 emissions in Norway by approximately 2,100 tonnes over the next three years.
PostNord oversees the delivery of 35 percent of all mail in Scandinavia. Using Einride’s electric truck fleet, PostNord aspires to decrease its reliance on fossil fuel-powered deliveries in Norway, resulting in a daily reduction of over 1,500 km (932 miles).
The company has entered into an agreement that involves a monthly payment, granting them access to electric and digital services, including using Einride’s electric trucks.
The specific financial details of the arrangement have not been disclosed.
Cross-border Electrified Service Fleets
In 2022, PostNord began electrifying its service fleets in Sweden with Einride’s assistance, and the two organizations are now aiming to link their services across national boundaries.
In the upcoming month, the Oslo region will witness the deployment of six trucks, with a target of expanding the fleet to 35 interconnected electric trucks by June 2024.
The Nordic Link, known as the local Einride Grid, will begin its operations in the Oslo area and extend along the E6 motorway, establishing a connection between Norway, Sweden, and Denmark.
Norway’s Goal to Achieve Complete Zero-Emission
May-Kristin Willoch, the assistant director of sustainability at PostNord Norway, said using zero-emission vehicles for transporting goods can substantially impact the environment.
With the largest per capita electric vehicle ownership globally, Norway intends to achieve complete zero-emission status for heavy vehicles by 2040.
This ambitious goal can potentially reduce the country’s annual CO2 emissions by approximately 4.4 million tonnes, equating to nearly nine percent of its total emissions.
Commenting about the announcement, Einride CEO Robert Falck believed that due to Norway’s significant advancements and accomplishments in electrifying passenger vehicles, it is only reasonable for the country to also play a leading role in electrifying heavy-duty freight transportation.
Besides its partnership with PostNord, Einride is participating in the €28 million MODI project, co-funded by the EU and coordinated by ITS Norway. This 42-month initiative aims to facilitate the implementation of autonomous transport for heavy-duty vehicles by addressing standardization, regulations, and infrastructure.
In 2020, Einride introduced the Pod, a lightweight commercial electric vehicle. The Pod is capable of autonomous driving and has obtained special permits in the U.S. and Europe. Norway will serve as one of the initial real-world applications for the Pod.