Tesla unveiled the electric semi-truck earlier this year and we saw the impressive features it boasted. The orders of the big rig have been coming slowly and steadily but PepsiCo Inc has just put down the biggest order to date as it reserved a hundred Tesla Semi Trucks. The company is looking to reduce fuel costs and reduce fleet emissions according to a representative.
FTR, an industry economics firm reports that around 260,000 heavy duty class 8 trucks are produced in the US annually and Tesla has been trying to tap into that market by trying to convince the trucking company that it can build electric trucks at a low price and matching capabilities of diesel trucks.
According to Reuters, the total reservations for the Tesla Semi Trucks have gone up to 267 after this order from PepsiCo. Other companies that have ordered these trucks include Wal-Mart, Sysco Corp, and Budweiser makers Anheuser-Busch among others.
PepsiCo aims to use the Tesla Semi Trucks for shipments of snack foods and beverages between manufacturing and distribution facilities and direct to retailers within the promised 500-mile range.
PepsiCo has a fleet of 10,000 big rigs in the US alone and these semi-trucks are a start of something new in their mission to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across the supply chain. Mike O’Connell, the senior director of North American supply chain for PepsiCo subsidiary Frito-Lay said that they aim to cut down the greenhouse emissions by at least 20% by the year 2030.
The route has still not been finalized as of yet and according to O’Connell, options are still being explored but the trucks will initially be used to transport snacks over relatively shorter distances. We will know more details once Tesla makes an announcement or PepsiCo decides to share further details.
