PepsiCo to Add 15 Tesla Semi Trucks to Fleet by End of 2021
Despite recent production delays to the Tesla Semi, the all-electric cargo truck is still on track to deliver this year, and one company has already shared details on its deliveries of the electric vehicle (EV).
In a press release Thursday, PepsiCo announced that it’s reducing its greenhouse gases in half, a move made possible by adopting zero-emission trucks to its fleet. The company also said it was expecting the delivery of 15 Tesla Semis by the end of 2021, confirmed to Electrek.
A rumor recently arose that Tesla would be starting production on its Semi as soon as August 2021 in the US, with deliveries expected to happen by the end of the year.
Tesla wants to eventually sell 50k Semi's per year. Tesla can't use that many. Tesla said they would sell them to whoever wanted them and PepsiCo confirmed that today. It's better they sell them rather than just keep them in house. It's better for their financials.
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) March 25, 2021
In 2017, PepsiCo placed an order for 100 Semis to add to their fleet, which would reportedly be for use with the company’s Modesto, California Frito-Lay facility. Now, the company has shared that the Frito-Lay factor went 100% renewable in January, with plans to expand the accomplishment with the use of Tesla’s electric trucks â referred to as “electric tractors” in the press release.
“Frito-Lay and PepsiCo are dedicated to reducing our environmental impact, especially in the more than 200 communities where we operate,” said Steve Hanson, senior director, fleet operations, engineering and sustainability for Frito-Lay, in a statement.
“We anticipate overall absolute GHG emissions will be reduced by 5,480 metric tons annually and diesel usage will be eliminated entirely from the Modesto fleet operations when fully implemented, the equivalent of removing nearly 13 million miles driven by passenger cars,” added Hanson.
New Tesla Semi prototypes were spotted being tested on Tesla’s Fremont track earlier this month before Tesla released its own promotional videos of the Semi driving on the track â with both signifying that the company is getting closer to being able to produce the cargo truck.
Tesla recently also had to ask Australia to change its vehicle size limits, since the company’s Semi measures about 34 millimeters wider than the requirements call for.