BEV_r is a Swedish software company that develops digital solutions for optimizing routes and charging infrastructure. Its goal is to accelerate and support the electrification of heavy-duty road transport.
For the electrification of heavy-duty transportation to be profitable, transportation companies need to take control of their energy supply. That’s the view of Tony Edmundsson, Managing Partner at BEV_r, which stands for Battery Electric Vehicle routing.
– The transportation industry needs to understand that it must take ownership of the energy issue. An expensive vehicle must have low operating costs per mile, and to make the numbers work, about 60–80 percent of charging needs to be done in-house. Simply purchasing charging services is an expensive solution, which is why trucking and transportation companies need to invest in their own charging infrastructure,‚ says Tony.
When transportation companies invest in charging infrastructure, it opens up the possibility of sharing resources, since many depots stand empty during the day while the vehicles are out on assignments, and the infrastructure can then be used by other transportation companies instead. Higher resource utilization also helps drive down the price per charge.
More and more people are recognizing the benefits
BEV_r was founded in 2023 and acquired its first customers in 2024. The need for a platform that can integrate charging and logistics has existed for a long time, but now more transportation companies and trucking firms are beginning to realize the benefits, according to Tony.
– The need for this type of platform has actually existed for a long time, but only now are transportation companies and trucking firms beginning to recognize its benefits. We ourselves have encountered the challenges facing the transportation industry in connection with the transition to heavy-duty electric trucks. Our Charge-Route platform takes freight flows, vehicle fleets, and drivers into account to create a more intelligent overview of and utilization of the charging infrastructure. Route optimization is powered by AI, ensuring that charging occurs where it’s needed, when it’s needed.
Currently, BEV_r has customers such as LBC Frakt in Värmland, which has an extensive charging infrastructure and a growing fleet of electric vehicles, as well as the Finnish transportation company Casa Delivery, which is an all-electric trucking company operating throughout Finland and in large parts of northern Sweden.
”Growing by one affiliate site per week”
BEV_r is growing steadily each week, and there are currently about 200 active vehicles on the platform. Although the focus right now is on Scandinavia, the company sees significant opportunities internationally.
– Right now, we’re adding one charging site per week, which is really good. At the same time, we’re keeping an eye on the global market, especially the U.S., where things are moving quickly. But we want to really excel here at home first before we take the big steps internationally,” says Tony, emphasizing the importance of viewing electrification as an opportunity rather than a challenge.
– The transportation industry has been too slow to adopt new technology. This is an opportunity to become more efficient and smarter as technology becomes more accessible.
Text: Marika Karlöf
