Einride to enter the UK freight business via partnership with PepsiCo

Einride AB, a Swedish transport company specializing in electric and self-driving vehicles, is considered a rival of Tesla’s Semi trucks since it also produces such types of electrified vehicles made for deliveries. It has now got its chance to enter into the freight business in the United Kingdom after winning a deal with PepsiCo.

Through the agreement with PepsiCo, Einride will be able to bring its electric trucks to the U.K. Based on the deal, the Swedish electric vehicle maker will supply its electric trucks for the transportation of PepsiCo’s Walkers chips in the said region.

This will be the very first venture of Einride in the U.K. market. For starters, it will provide PepsiCo with two electric semi-trucks, which will be used to transport the company’s goods starting in July.

As per CNBC, the contract with the American food, snack, and beverage company will also serve as Einride’s ticket to gain a foothold in the United Kingdom. On the side of PepsiCo, the electric semi-trucks will help it achieve its goal of decarbonizing its fleet operations.

In October 2022, Einride electric vehicles were tested by GE Appliances for its deliveries. The testing was carried out without a safety driver on board, and the trucks traversed public roads in the United States. But in the U.K., Einride said that its semi-trucks would be driven by human operators.

“The UK has always been at the forefront of transport history. The efficient and innovative movement of goods has consistently been integral to the growth and prosperity of the UK, with the British pioneering both the railway system and canal networks,” Einride’s founder and chief executive officer, Robert Falck, said in a press release. “We are honored to be here, teaming up with local partners to further establish the UK as a transport pioneer and ultimately help the country meet its net zero goals.”