MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. — Autonomous trucking company Kodiak Robotics Inc. has unveiled the first-ever driverless electric Class 8 big rig.
According to a news release, Kodiak is upfitting a Peterbilt Model 579EV electric truck with the Kodiak Driver, the company’s self-driving technology.
The truck will be incorporated into Kodiak’s fleet in 2024.
The Peterbilt Model 579EV truck is the second vehicle platform that Kodiak is upfitting and it is equipped with its fifth-generation sensors, the news release noted.
Kodiak’s autonomous system is vehicle-and powertrain-agnostic, which enables the company to easily incorporate its autonomous system into emerging truck platforms as they become available, regardless of fuel type.
The Peterbilt Model 579EV can be recharged in as little as three hours and provides a peak power rating of 670 horsepower.
With a range of up to 150 miles, the truck is designed for short-haul and drayage deployments.
“We believe that the future of trucking is the combination of electric and autonomous vehicles,” said Don Burnette, founder and CEO of Kodiak Robotics. “Given advancements in battery and fuel cell technologies, achieving zero-emissions trucking will soon be within reach. Kodiak’s work on the Peterbilt Model 579EV will help us gain valuable experience in how to build autonomous electric vehicles, and help us realize that vision. Customers have been long asking for an autonomous electric vehicle and we are delivering on that need.”
Kodiak is displaying its Gen-5 autonomous electric truck in booth 5421 at the Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo in Anaheim, California through Thursday, May 4.
The Trucker News Staff produces engaging content for not only TheTrucker.com, but also The Trucker Newspaper, which has been serving the trucking industry for more than 30 years. With a focus on drivers, the Trucker News Staff aims to provide relevant, objective content pertaining to the trucking segment of the transportation industry. The Trucker News Staff is based in Little Rock, Arkansas.
