Uber Freight has announced its first zero-emission electric truck pilot, teaming up with California-based WattEV, an electric trucking and charging infrastructure company. The partnership aims to advance zero-emission freight transportation, deploying electric trucks on select routes starting in Southern California, with plans to grow nationwide using WattEV’s electric heavy-duty transportation platform.
The pilot program will help the company expand its network as it develops routes from the Port of Long Beach to the Inland Empire and Central Valley, with plans to expand to North Carolina and Arizona. Uber Freight’s extensive logistics network, combined with WattEV’s electric innovations, allows shippers to book, schedule, and complete loads while tracking the status, loading key performance indicators, and managing paperwork all in one place.
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CHEP, a global supply chain solutions leader, will be the first shipper to participate in the pilot. Marisa Sanchez Urrea, Brambles (CHEPs parent company) director of global supply chain decarbonization, explains that the company is working toward cutting emissions from its value chain, which relies heavily on road transport. The partnership with Uber Freight and WattEV is a step in the right direction, as they move toward a net positive impact and a transition to net-zero emissions by 2040.
Transitioning heavy-duty freight trucks to electric will be critical in reducing the transportation sector’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. According to EPA data, transportation contributed the most GHG emissions of any US economic sector in 2020, with 27%. Freight movement in the US accounted for nearly a third (31%) of all transportation in 2019 and is expected to grow exponentially over the next several years if something isn’t done.
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Uber’s new collaboration with WattEV and CHEP will serve as an example as the partners learn valuable insights through the electric truck pilot that can be used to cut emissions from freight transportation as we advance. The move toward electric trucks is a significant milestone for Uber Freight, and it highlights the importance of continued efforts to reduce emissions from the transportation sector.
