Swedish freight electrification specialist Einride has expanded its partnership with Lidl’s Swedish operations, in a deal expected to double the amount of freight Lidl moves by electric truck in the country each year.
Lidl’s electric delivery volume set to double in Sweden
The agreement, which expands on the partnership that’s been in place between Lidl Sweden and Einride since 2020, will lift the number of electric kilometres Einride operates with Lidl from 474,000 to 832,000 kilometres a year. Previously, much of the electric operations have been centred on Stockholm, but with longer range electric trucks now hitting the market, the partnership will extend towards longer-haul transport across Sweden.
The expansion comes as a growing number of retailers make the switch to EVs within their logistics plans, particularly in Europe. While making a switch to electric trucks was originally seen as purely a sustainability initiative, rapidly-improving technology in electric HGVs such as record-high range and reduced battery costs now means they’re becoming a cost-competitive alternative to diesel trucks, whilst still helping firms to reach their sustainability aims. Longer-haul routes have previously been much harder to electrify than urban last-mile delivery, but this expanded partnership suggests that this barrier is quickly disappearing.
Carl Ceder, Vice President Region Nordics at Einride, commented:
“This expansion with Lidl demonstrates a key inflection point for electric freight, not as a future ambition, but as a scalable, economically compelling reality. What we see is a structural shift in how freight capacity is delivered, where software, infrastructure, and electrification converge to unlock operational efficiency and long-term value for our customers.”
Rasmus Laursen, Head of Logistics at Lidl SE, added:
“Einride has been a reliable partner in our work to electrify freight in Sweden. Since we started working with them in Stockholm, we’ve seen that electric transport can be both operationally efficient and cost-competitive. This expansion lets us bring that same model to more regions and it is a clear step forward in our commitment to sustainable supply chains.”
