Swedish freight technology company Einride and GE Appliances, a Haier company, are to work together on the implementation of electric and autonomous transportation at scale. This collaboration, the companies say, will mark the first time an autonomous and electric truck is live and operating on US soil.
The partnership will see Einride’s first installation of its autonomous Pod system in the USA, which will operate on GE Appliances’ 750-acre Appliance Park campus in Louisville, Kentucky.
“At GE Appliances, we believe in always finding a better way and striving to be on the forefront of innovation,” said Bill Good, vice president of manufacturing at GE Appliances. “Sustainability and cost-efficiency is a prerequisite for implementing innovation into our business strategy. The partnership and technology investment with Einride is allowing us to deploy safer, more sustainable, and cost-effective solutions for the movement and transportation of material.”
At launch, Einride will implement electric transportation solutions at three of GEA’s locations in the US states of Kentucky, Tennessee and Georgia. As a result of this partnership, GEA is expected to save 970 tons of CO2 emissions within the first year, playing a key role in its global commitment to reduce its environmental footprint by utilizing a state-of-the-art supply chain.
“This marks an important milestone for the freight industry in the US, as it’s the first time an autonomous, electric, and remote-operated pod system is being installed on the scale in North America,” said Robert Falck, CEO at Einride. “The system will allow GEA to reduce its environmental footprint and reap the benefits of Einrides’ world-leading technology.”