Gatik marries self-driving tech with electric trucks

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Gatik truck

Self-driving truck company Gatik thrives on consistency.

In the realm of autonomy, the company’s goal has been to connect distribution centers with specific hubs and stores. Its trucks ply the same routes day after day, constraining the scenarios that self-driving systems face into manageable chunks.

Route certainty is also helping Gatik develop and deploy electric trucks. By knowing exactly how many miles trucks will drive and by installing chargers at hubs and destinations, electrification in short-haul logistics can work.

Gatik launched three EVs in its fleet Wednesday in conjunction with its partnership with Walmart. The trucks connect a Walmart Supercenter in New Orleans with a pickup location in Metairie, La., a suburb. It’s about 20 miles between the two, well within the 120-mile range of the trucks, which can recharge while goods are loaded and unloaded.

“It’s become very clear to us in multiple conversations with customers over the last year that the marriage of electrification and short-haul logistics, they’re perfectly suited for each other,” said Richard Steiner, head of policy and communications at Gatik.The three Class 3, 12-foot trucks are Ford Transit 350 HDs, electrified in collaboration with Via Motors Inc. Given the trucks often carry groceries, refrigeration’s needs add an unusual wrinkle to power consumption in freight hauling.

But savings on maintenance and fuel — not to mention helping customers such as Walmart reach corporate sustainability goals — make electrified trucks worthwhile. With so many COVID-19-era developments in delivery, Gatik has set an example.

— Pete Bigelow

What you need to know

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Tesla’s commanding lead in U.S. EVs illustrated by registration report Nearly 8 out of 10 electric vehicles registered in the U.S. last year were from one particular California automaker. You guessed it: According to new data from Experian, Tesla accounted for 79 percent of U.S. EV registrations in 2020, with 200,561 of its battery-electric vehicles registered, a 16 percent jump from 2019, when owners registered 172,438 Teslas. All four Tesla models ranked among the top five EVs last year. The Chevrolet Bolt small hatchback had the third-most U.S. registrations among electric vehicles in 2020, at 19,664. That was up 20 percent from the year before.

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Roundup

Jaguar to become all-electric brand as part of new turnaround plan.

Ford to sell only full-electric cars in Europe by 2030.

Bosch, Microsoft join forces to develop a vehicle software platform.

GM officially opens AV test track in Oshawa, Ontario.

AEye Inc., a startup that makes lidar systems for self-driving vehicles, is going public by merging with blank-check company CF Finance Acquisition Corp. III.

Partnerships accelerate Aurora goals on dual fronts.

Group pushes for a uniform way to recharge electric scooters, bikes.

Chevrolet updates, expands Bolt EV family as price drops.

A look at the lidar field.

Toyota takes modest approach to EV rollout.

Apple loses key manager from self-driving EV team.

Ford sells stake in lidar maker Velodyne.

Apple’s lidar foray may benefit Israel’s Opsys Tech.

McLaren embarks on deeper electrified future with Artura plug-in hybrid.

VW-backed battery startup QuantumScape rises on report of technical breakthrough.

Former CARB chairman Mary Nichols joins Ford’s Jim Farley as co-chair of mobility group.

Ford joins global initiative to promote responsible mining.