PepsiCo makes the biggest public pre-order of Tesla Semi trucks

PepsiCo has ordered 100 of Tesla’s all-electric Semi trucks as part of the food and beverage giants plan to reduce emissions across its supply chain at least 20% by 2030. 

The vehicles have already been pre-ordered by big names such as Anheuser Busch and Walmart, however, the Mountain Dew and Dorito maker has topped the list with what is thought to be the largest preorder yet: a fleet of 100 vehicles reserved before production starts in 2019. 

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Walmart has reportedly preordered 15 of Tesla’s Semi trucks and Anheuser-Busch is thought to have reserved 40. 

The Tesla order represents about 1% of PepsiCo’s US fleet of around 10,000 big rigs and will help the company reduce fuel costs and fleet emissions.

The vehicles will be fully electric and equipped with Tesla’ semi-autonomous autopilot system.

PepsiCo intends to deploy the Tesla Semis to distribute shipments of snack foods and beverages between manufacturing and distributing facilities and directly to retailers within the 500-mile range guaranteed by Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk.

Mike O‘Connell, senior director of North American supply chain for PepsiCo subsidiary Frito-Lay, said that the preorder will compliment PepsiCo’s US fleet of 10,000 big rigs and are an important part of its plan to reduce greenhouse emissions across its supply chain by at least 20% by 2030.