Einride, Lidl continue working towards automated transport in Sweden

April 27, 2020 | AUVSI News

As part of the next step of a long-term partnership that dates back to 2017, Einride has announced that it will supply electric trucks to supermarket company Lidl this year to transform its supply chain to be emissions-free. 

The companies are seeking to electrify and automate deliveries to Lidl locations in Sweden. The transformation to a zero-emissions transport network will take place in stages. Electrification will be the main focus in the short term, with automation being the focus in the next phase.  

“At Lidl, we intend to be the industry leader for sustainable and completely fossil-free transport by 2025,” says Carl Ceder, Logistics Manager of Lidl Sweden.

“To enable this, we will now begin the transition to fully electric transport together with Einride.”

The Stockholm region will be the initial focus of the project. Here, regular transport between Lidl’s central warehouse and stores in the area with electric vehicles will start this fall. Over time, the scope will be expanded to include more of Lidl’s operations in Sweden.

Lidl’s 2025 goal will be the first major milestone in the long-term partnership between the two companies. By then, Einride electric vehicles will handle a significant proportion of all Lidl transport, and many shipments are expected to be completed without a driver in the vehicle.

“The transport solutions of the future are no longer simply pipe dreams. The technology exists today, and forward-thinking companies like Einride and Lidl will lead the implementation,” says Jonas Hernlund, CCO of Einride.

“We are proud to work with Lidl in their goal towards 2025 and together we must not only minimize their environmental impact but also reduce their transport costs substantially.”

The platform at the heart of this transition is the Einride Freight Mobility Platform. Described as an “intelligent transport planning and execution engine,” the platform is built to handle transport with various types of vehicles, but with a focus on electric vehicles with or without a driver. 

The platform collects transport data and automatically optimizes routes and schedules while providing detailed plans for how to introduce electric transport into the fleet. The platform also serves as a digital interface to interact and communicate with Einride’s driverless vehicles.

In collaboration with Einride, Lidl expects to start the first electric transport in October.