“As you walk the streets of New York today, you get a harsh reminder of why we are doing what we do. We need to find a better way to take care of our future. And there is no sustainable future without sustainable business”, said Einride’s CEO and founder, Robert Falck, during the opening of Einride Mesh 2023 last Thursday, June 8.

The freight mobility conference’s aim of gathering industry and thought leaders to exchange knowledge and push the industry forward gained a renewed sense of urgency as the smoke from the wildfires in Canada took over the city and rapidly turned New York’s air into the world’s worst.

The wildfires are part of a series of extreme weather events that have become increasingly frequent with the aggravation of the climate crisis – greenhouse gases are a direct factor in that, and road freight accounts for 7% of global emissions.

“Electric is the best and smartest way of transporting goods. We have an opportunity to choose what kind of future we would like to see. We can create something that is more resilient for our grandchildren and it’s even more competitive. Something that makes our businesses successful”, said Robert Falck. 

Joined on stage by Einride’s Deputy CEO and Founder, Linnéa Kornehed Falck, Robert set the scene for the series of panels, fireside chats and presentations that followed. Their focus was on the solutions that are being deployed and scaled today.

At the center of Einride Mesh lied the role of digitalization. Throughout the day, attendees took part in the full Mesh experience, which included VR simulations, autonomous digital twins and other interactive activities highlighting the digital infrastructure that enables intelligent and sustainable shipping. 

“The most crucial part of making the switch to electric is that you have to go digital as well”, explained Linnéa. “It might seem easy to go from A to B with an electric truck, but when you operate thousands of vehicles, it becomes nearly impossible to plan for it the conventional way. The upside: this complexity also gives us the unique opportunity to think differently and do it better.”

How to push the industry forward

The conference delivered on its promise to amplify voices and solutions that support the transition to resilient freight. The program was packed with executives sharing their experiences with intelligent and sustainable shipping, learnings and scaling perspectives.  

“With the Saga platform, we understand how to build sustainability into our supply chain. We get more data and real-time information on how we are operating and managing our fleets not only for the benefits of ourselves and our customers but for the drivers we employ”, said Michael Hynekamp, Wallenius Wilhelmsen’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. The value of adding intelligence to logistics was further explored as Einride’s Chief Product Officer, Ellen Kugelberg, and Product Manager Sabina Söderstjerna took the stage for live demos showing what Einride Saga’s algorithms and models offer to shippers.

As the day’s program progressed, myths about electric and autonomous freight were debunked, from range anxiety to the cost of operation and driver-in safety. Speakers showed how their day-to-day flows are proof points of how these new technologies deliver innovation, efficiency and cost-competitiveness.

Also present were policy specialists and institutions working closely with governments and companies to help build the infrastructure and legal framework needed for this new generation of freight. 

In between sessions, speakers and attendees were brought together in lively discussions around innovation, green policy, international collaboration and research projects that continuously push the industry forward.

Find out how much you can save – in costs and CO2e emissions – by making the switch to intelligent electric freight with Einride. Simply input some details about your shipping operations to get your savings estimate.