Range Energy

Range Energy, founded in 2021 by Ali Javidan, is a hardware company focused on accelerating the electrification and decarbonization of the commercial trucking industry. Javidan, an engineer with a significant background in pioneering electric vehicle development, brought his extensive experience from key roles at Tesla, Google, and Zoox to establish the company. At Tesla, as an early hire, he was instrumental in building the first Model S and led early-stage development for all vehicle programs. His subsequent roles included leading the Skunkworks team at Google's ATAP, where he filed numerous patents, and architecting the prototyping operations at Zoox. This deep expertise in vehicle engineering and EV platforms forms the technical foundation of Range Energy.

The company's core business is the manufacturing of powered and intelligent commercial trailers designed to reduce the carbon footprint of the heavy-duty truck market. Range Energy's primary product is an electric-powered trailer that can be attached to any standard tractor, including existing diesel models and new electric ones. This approach allows commercial fleets to immediately reduce fuel consumption and emissions without the significant upfront investment and operational disruption associated with replacing their entire tractor fleet. The business model includes direct sales of these trailers, with expected prices between $150,000 and $180,000, as well as potential leasing and service contracts. The company targets large fleet operators, such as major retail and beverage companies, as its initial customers.

Range Energy's flagship product, the RA-01, is a 53-foot electric trailer equipped with an e-axle, a battery pack (with 200 kWh and 300 kWh options), and a smart kingpin. The system works by measuring the force between the tractor and the trailer, using that data to determine the amount of propulsion to provide through the trailer's own axle. This assistance lessens the workload on the tractor, making it feel as if it's pulling an empty trailer. Recent third-party testing has demonstrated that this technology can improve fuel economy in diesel trucks by over 36%. For electric tractors, the powered trailer can effectively double their operational range. The trailers are also designed to power auxiliary systems, such as transport refrigeration units (TRUs), which is being advanced through a strategic collaboration with Thermo King. In addition to the hardware, Range is developing a trailer data and telematics platform to provide fleets with insights into emissions savings, route efficiency, and predictive maintenance.

Keywords: electric trailers, commercial trucking, decarbonization, fleet electrification, powered trailers, Ali Javidan, transport refrigeration, logistics technology, freight efficiency, sustainable transportation, e-axle, trailer telematics, commercial vehicle technology, fuel economy, emissions reduction, heavy-duty trucks, supply chain innovation, EV range extension, smart trailer, freight tech