Cova Power Promises to Electrify Freight Transport, Without Buying New Trucks
Finnish logistics group Ahola and engineering firm Donut Lab have unveiled a technology that could reshape the trucking world as profoundly as Tesla transformed personal mobility. Their new venture, Cova Power, introduces the world’s first system that converts existing trailers into self-powered “smart trailers,” reducing fuel use, cutting emissions, and improving safety — all without replacing the truck itself.
Until now, electrification in heavy transport has meant costly new vehicles. Cova Power turns that equation upside down. Its system transforms a conventional trailer into an independently driven unit that works in harmony with any existing diesel truck, effectively creating a hybrid rig without swapping engines or tractors.
The breakthrough relies on Donut Lab’s in-wheel electric motors — compact, lightweight units that allow the trailer to share propulsion duties with the truck. This assistance reduces the strain on the diesel engine, lowering both fuel consumption and overall energy demand.
Cova Power’s first production facility is based in Estonia, positioning the country as a key supplier in the emerging electric logistics value chain.
Tests conducted by the University of Oulu in Finland indicate that a smart trailer can cut diesel usage by up to 54 percent and reduce total energy consumption by about one-third. For a typical logistics company, that could translate into millions of euros in annual savings, while sharply reducing emissions without overhauling an entire fleet.
Beyond efficiency, the technology also improves safety. Because the trailer’s powered axle provides its own traction, the entire combination becomes more stable, especially on slippery or uneven roads — a major advantage in Nordic climates, where jackknifed trucks are a familiar winter hazard.
Cova Power’s first fully operational system will make its public debut in January 2026 at the CES electronics show in Las Vegas. There, the company hopes to demonstrate that this Nordic-engineered innovation is not just a prototype but a production-ready solution that could make Europe’s freight industry significantly more energy-efficient.
If Cova Power delivers on its promises, it may prove to be the technological bridge the transport sector has been waiting for — a crucial step between the diesel age and a fully electric future.
