Amazon taps Sweden’s Einride for its electric big rigs

Einride is adding 75 of its electric heavy-duty trucks to Amazon’s Relay freight network as part of a deal that gives the Swedish startup a stake in the e-commerce giant’s operations. Einride will also provide charging infrastructure at five locations in the United States as part of the deal was announced Tuesday.

Amazon does not buy or operate the electric trucks. Instead, Einride will own and manage (using its own Saga AI software) the trucks, which can be used by drivers on Amazon’s Relay freight network. Relaylaunched in 2017, is an app that truckers can use to book trucking gigs with Amazon.

Einride CEO Roozbeh Charli, who took over nearly a year ago, said the partnership with Amazon is a strong validation of the startup’s technology and strategic vision.

“By deploying our intelligent platform on one of the world’s most sophisticated logistics networks, we are accelerating growth while continuing to build industry-leading operational expertise,” he said in a statement.

Einride has gained attention and investment for its two-pronged approach to freight transportation. The company has developed and now operates a fleet of around 200 heavy-duty, electric trucks for companies such as Heineken, PepsiCo and Carlsberg Sweden in Europe, North America and the UAE. It has also developed autonomous pod-type trucks, which stand out for their cabless design.

The deal with Amazon does not include the standalone pods.

Einride closed this deal at a critical time: the startup is finalizing a merger with blank check firm Legato Merger Corp. and is expected to be released on the stock market soon.

While the deal may not carry the same weight for Amazon, which has a market capitalization of $2.7 trillion, it contributes to its low-carbon goals. Amazon has stated that it wants to reach net zero carbon emissions across all of its operations by 2040.

“This rollout is an important step forward in addressing one of the most difficult challenges we face in decarbonizing our transportation network – the electrification of heavy-duty trucks,” an Amazon spokesperson said in an emailed statement. “We’re excited to continue working with Einride and learn from these operations as the trucks hit the road.”