Torc Robotics

Of floor mops, M&M coatings … and battery packs 

What do coatings for M&M chocolate candies, O-Cedar floor mops and battery packs for electric trucks have in common?

All three come from German industrial conglomerate Freudenberg Group. The company operates many other seemingly incongruous businesses from filtration to home cleaning products.

A history of handoffs

Freudenberg’s battery business is an appropriate Truck Tech topic. But not as tasty than M&Ms, for which it makes the hard shell coatings through its Capol business unit. 

The...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/of-floor-mops-mm-coatings-and-battery-packs

Behind Climate United’s historic $250M electric truck buy

Climate United’s plan to spend $250 million to purchase 500 Class 8 electric trucks makes a great headline. But beyond the benefit to owner-operators and small fleets, the impact involves the future of zero-tailpipe-emission freight hauling.

More than cleaning up the ports

Climate United is stewarding a $6.97 billion grant of Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funds awarded by the Environmental Protection Agency. The immediate goal is to help clean up the nation’s ports, where older and dirtier trucks...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/behind-climate-uniteds-historic-250m-electric-truck-buy

What does proposed China component ban mean for autonomous trucks?

Autonomous trucking developers knew the Commerce Department was on the cusp of slamming the door on certain Chinese components. In fact, this week’s preliminary rule came later than expected. Now they have to sort out what it means.

So far, they don’t have much to say. Of the leading driverless trucking companies – two of which could launch before the end of the year – only one, Plus, offered substantive comment. Others demurred or pointed to a less-than-substantive statement from the Autonomous...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/what-does-proposed-china-component-ban-mean-for-autonomous-trucks

Autonomous trucks in the long run

Aurora Innovation is the latest autonomous trucking developer to announce longer routes than hub-to-hub operations in Texas. It helps make the real-world case for long-promised over-the-road driverless trucking that could dramatically reduce the cost of freight shipping.

Aurora said this week it will begin driver-supervised routes from Fort Worth and El Paso, Texas, to Phoenix next year. It plans to go driverless by the end of 2025.

‘Real benefits of AV start to be unlocked’

“This is where you see...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/autonomous-trucks-in-the-long-run

Daimler Truck marries electric and autonomous technologies

Daimler Truck added autonomous driving technology to its Class 8 electric eCascadia, creating a demo that addresses future markets for driverless trucks and emission realities that will eventually push out diesel fuel.

“We asked ourselves, ‘What would it look like if we combined the freight efficiency potential of an autonomous truck with the promise of zero emissions and decarbonization of our series production electric vehicle?’” Joanna Buttler, head of the Daimler Truck Global Autonomous...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/daimler-truck-marries-electric-and-autonomous-technologies

Can Karno technology generate a buyer for Hyliion?

Unwinding the powertrain business at Hyliion Holdings was uncomfortable, especially for 175 employees who lost their jobs in November. But the leaned-out startup is making some progress in its pivot to energy distribution through a fuel-agnostic power generator.

Whether the plan is sufficient to generate revenue and perhaps attract a buyer for the once high-flying special purpose acquisition company are the big unknowns.

The Karno generator, which Hyliion purchased from GE in August 2022 for its...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/can-karno-technology-generate-a-buyer-for-hyliion

Ryder adds Kodiak Robotics to its autonomous trucking dance card

When it comes to autonomous trucks, Ryder System Inc. plays the field, forming — and sometimes ending — relationships with practically every startup contending for leadership in the medium- and heavy-duty driverless space.

Its first commercial partner appears to be Kodiak Robotics, which is paying for space at an existing Ryder maintenance facility in Houston. The truckport opened in December and enables Kodiak to launch and land autonomous trucks and transfer freight on routes between Houston,...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/ryder-adds-kodiak-robotics-to-its-autonomous-trucking-dance-card

Are startup investors getting past the FOMU cycle?

The same driverless technology that Kodiak Robotics plans to put on highways in late 2024 has application to the military, which sees leveraging commercially developed innovation as smarter than creating everything itself.

Following Kodiak’s reveal of its Ford F-150-based prototype autonomous vehicle for the U.S. Army on Monday, Kodiak founder and CEO Don Burnette and I discussed dual-use technology, the recent comings and goings in the autonomous trucking space and a thawing of investor...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/are-startup-investors-getting-past-the-fomu-cycle

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