Meet the startup hoping to electrify the haulage sector

A Califonia-based startup is hoping to assuage concerns over the viability of electric vehicles in long-range haulage with the reveal of a new kind of e-truck, designed to run without the need for a driver.

Powered by 600kWh motors, Solo AVT's SD1 is supposedly able to travel around 500 miles on a single charge, dealing with the number one issue associated with the decarbonisation of the haulage sector - range over traditional vehicles.

Read more: The vehicles of the future - what's making change possible?

The heavy truck has apparently seen a "complete redesign" that removes the need for a human driver for the rig, with a range of extra safety precautions to ensure minimum risk of incidents with both the environment and pedestrians. And a recent $7 million funding wave is only strengthening its ambitions.

The idea of driverless haulage may seem like a flight of fancy, but the firm is looking to make its designs a reality with the unveiling of its new design.

It is worth noting, however, that nothing currently seen is set in stone and the failures of other green truck "pioneers" such as Nikola Motors may leave audiences sceptical.

The SD1 is set to be equipped with aerospace-grade system redundancies - meaning it has duplicate resources to back up the main system - and supposedly could have the lowest drag of any Class 8 truck currently on roads.

While drivers are not necessary for the operation of the trucks, it can be assumed they could be used as an extra safety measure.

Described by AVT as "trailer-agnostic," the truck will reportedly be able to "carry anything" and is being built to easily integrate with all standard loading docks, the firm claims. In essence, the SD1 is being designed to compete with combustion engines in every feasible way, including turn-around times for deliveries.

“The debut of the SD1 outlines our goals for decarbonising the freight industry. We look forward to aiding this massive industry needs as we develop innovative technologies to deliver battery-electric trucks viable for long hauls,” said Solo AVT Founder and CEO Graham Doorley said.

“The demands across freight, logistics, retail, and other categories can only be met in a sustainable way by the convergence of two tech-enabled opportunities: battery-electric transportation at long-haul range and autonomy.

"Autonomous systems today won’t work on existing or retrofit platforms at scale. At Solo AVT we’re solving both of these challenges as we develop, design, and engineer the SD1 to achieve over 500 miles of range with an autonomous truck from day one.”

Read more: Top automakers to set up €500m electric truck charging venture

Logistics, and the transport sector in general, are considered essential sectors for rapid decarbonisation, due to the fact that they form the backbone for many global supply chains. Even if decarbonisation efforts take a few more years, operators must look to make their vehicles more energy efficient in a bid to slash emissions.

Transport accounts for around one-fifth of all carbon emissions, and the sector has seen a huge push in recent years towards electrification. However, efforts have been hampered by both the semiconductor shortage and the pandemic sending production and supply chains haywire.

Solo AVT was founded in 2021 by former Waymo, BMW and Tesla engineers on the premise that "if you started from scratch, you can create something radically different for the freight transportation industry."

This MO has driven the design of the SD1.

The SD1 will be fitted with active aerodynamics. While typically used to reduce turbulence in aircraft, the use of it in cars can not only enables them to travel faster but makes them more fuel-efficient by reducing wind resistance.

Its tyres have also been designed to minimise rolling resistance, which will not only make braking easier, but it could also decrease environmental risks on more dangerous roads, including collisions with other vehicles or more friction on hazardous surfaces that could cause the truck to derail.

Also laid out in the specs are exterior lights and a unique sound system designed to warn pedestrians of its presence while also allowing other road users to see it from a distance.

More importantly, the firm claims it is compatible with both fast chargers and networks, which will provide the truck with needed versatility while EV charging networks remain scarce in much of the world.

The entire design of the truck is modular, meaning each aspect of the truck is split into smaller subdivisions called "modules," which are fitted and designed independently. This means modifications may be far easier to make without the need for massive overhauls to its systems.

This was done so AVT can forge partnerships with companies and customers as a means of improving the systems even further.

In addition, the sensor setup means customers can seamlessly integrate their own autonomous driving systems and the onboard software control and filtering interface should allow them to easily switch between them.

While autonomous driving has only been allowed in a limited capacity, it is expected that many nations will legalise some form of driverless travel over the next few years.

Read more: Top automakers to set up €500m electric truck charging venture

Forays into renewable trucks are hardly new, and its design is reminiscent of other e-trucks, such as those set to hit the streets of London and Madrid revealed by Volta Trucks, or of those unveiled in the partnership between Renault and Geodis.

With countries such as the UK looking to ban the sale of diesel and petrol trucks by 2040 at the latest, the race is on to completely decarbonise the sector as markets make the full switch to green fuels.

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