Swedish company Einride has partnered with the United Arab Emirates government to introduce its advanced electric self-driving trucks to the region.
The agreement aims to implement Einride’s comprehensive transportation ecosystem spanning 550 kilometers across Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah.
Referred to as the Falcon Rise Grid, this ambitious project will involve deploying 2,000 electric and 200 autonomous trucks and establishing eight charging stations with over 500 charging points. The startup plans to develop and execute this initiative within a five-year timeframe.
The CEO and founder of Einride, Robert Falck, said the collaboration reflects Einride’s commitment to facilitating the transition towards efficient and environmentally friendly shipping through full electrification.
According to him, through this partnership, Einride aspires to demonstrate how entire regions can successfully switch to sustainable shipping intelligently and cost-effectively.
Sharing his perspective, H.E Sharif Salim Al-Olama, the Undersecretary for Energy and Petroleum Affairs at MOEI, highlighted the significance of the UAE Falcon Rise grid.
Al-Olama explained that establishing this grid represents a remarkable milestone in the quest for sustainable and intelligent transportation.
He said the government aims to leverage cutting-edge technological advancements by collaborating with Einride. Its goal is to reduce emissions and enhance the efficiency of freight operations across the region.
Einride’s Mission to Reduce Carbon Emissions
Since its establishment in 2016, Einride has been dedicated to reducing carbon emissions in the industry by creating and implementing a comprehensive freight mobility ecosystem.
This ecosystem includes its electric and autonomous vehicle fleets, the intelligent platform Einride Saga, charging infrastructure, and interconnected networks.
In 2019, Einride made history by deploying the world’s first electric autonomous vehicle on a public road in Sweden. Building upon this achievement, the company received approval in 2022 to conduct similar operations in the U.S.
Einride announced its expansion into the UK in April 2023. This has great significance for the country, as the UK Department for Transport is aiming to build a sustainable future for freight due to the substantial volume of goods transported around the country by road, estimated to be approximately 1.4 billion tonnes annually.
Einride and PepsiCo’s Walkers brand will implement Einride’s electric and digital solutions, replacing fossil-fuel-powered transportation for a distance exceeding 750,000 miles. This switch will reduce over 1,600 tonnes of CO2 emissions in three years.