PepsiCo has reserved 100 of Tesla's new electric Semi trucks, the largest-known order of the big rig, as it seeks to reduce fuel costs and fleet emissions, a company executive told Reuters.
PepsiCo's 100 trucks add to orders by more than a dozen companies such as Wal-Mart Stores, fleet operator JB Hunt Transport Services, and foodservice distribution company Sysco. Reservations to date are at 267 Tesla trucks, according to a Reuters tally.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Discover B2B Marketing That Performs
Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.
The news agency said PepsiCo would use the Tesla model for shipments of snack foods and beverages between manufacturing and distribution facilities and direct to retailers within the 500 mile (800km) range promised by Tesla chief executive Elon Musk.
The semi-trucks would complement PepsiCo's US fleet of almost 10,000 big rigs and are a key part of its plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across its supply chain by at least 20% by 2030, Mike O'Connell, the senior director of North American supply chain for PepsiCo subsidiary Frito-Lay, told Reuters.
PepsiCo is analysing what routes are best for its Tesla trucks in North America but sees a wide range of uses for lighter loads like snacks or shorter shipments of heavier beverages, O'Connell said.
