Forget Tesla hype – Einride begins public L4 autonomous electric semi operations (electrek.co)

Sweden’s Einride has quietly moved from testing to real-world service: its Level 4 autonomous heavy-duty electric vehicle (HDEV) is now operating on public roads at the Port of Antwerp‑Bruges under a new Belgian regulatory framework. The deployment — in one of the world’s busiest and most complex logistics hubs — demonstrates a practical, regulated path to commercial autonomous freight in Europe, contrasting with high-profile but delayed consumer self-driving promises from other players. Regulators and port officials frame the project as a step toward safer, more sustainable, and competitive logistics that address driver shortages and cut emissions. Technically, the cab-less Einride truck pairs a 320 kWh lithium‑ion battery (claimed >650 km / 405 mi range) with slippery aerodynamics and efficient electric motors, while its autonomous stack ingests radar and LiDAR data and processes “over 5 million data points per second” to generate real‑time driving commands. A Waymo‑style remote operator handles edge cases, and the 82,000 lb GVWR platform is designed to require fewer than one operator per vehicle, promising scalable, cost‑efficient operations. If regulatory regimes and commercial pilots like Antwerp prove durable, Einride’s approach could accelerate fleet electrification and L4 freight adoption across Europe and beyond.