Photo: The Modesto Bee
PepsiCo has shown off six Tesla Semi trucks during an event at its Modesto Frito-Lay plant, showcasing its environmental efforts. PepsiCo bought the Semis as part of a $31 million environmental project it announced in 2019.
Tesla Semi delivery day on December 1 was among the most important Tesla events in 2022, not least because it marked the production start for the first new product in years. PepsiCo received 36 Semi Class-8 trucks from 100 ordered, with 15 of them assigned to its Frito-Lay plant in Modesto, California, and the rest to the PepsiCo facility in Sacramento.
There have been many speculations about the opportunity of purchasing the Tesla Semi fleet. Like many Tesla products, the Semi was shrouded in controversy. Even after the final product was introduced, people talked about its capabilities (or lack thereof). New information from Pepsi revealed that the food juggernaut uses the trucks very differently for its Pepsi and Frito-Lay facilities. More specifically, the trucks hauling soda bottles for Pepsi would only drive 100-mile (161-km) stints. Meanwhile, those carrying chips for Frito-Lay could take longer routes, up to 425 miles (684 km).
This fueled speculations that Tesla Semi might have some range issues. Tesla advertised the truck with a 500-mile (805-km) range for a fully loaded 82,000-lb (37,200 kg) rig, so the 100-mile routes were puzzling. Eventually, PepsiCo cleared this misunderstanding, saying it would subsequently assign longer trips as it gained confidence in the trucks’ capabilities. The recent event in Modesto also shows that PepsiCo is proud of its electric trucks, showing them off to the public.
The Tesla Semis were the attraction point at the event, next to other environmentally-friendly trucks hauling goods at the facility. Among them were natural gas-powered semi-trucks and electric box trucks, tractors, and forklifts. They were all acquired as part of a multi-pronged environmental project that started three years ago. The project has resulted in a 91% reduction of greenhouse gases from Modesto Frito-Lay’s fleet, equivalent to taking about 1,000 standard SUVs off the road.
The six Tesla Semis on display were part of the overall order of 15 received last December. Tesla has yet to deliver 64 Semis, with plans to do it this year. According to previous information offered by PepsiCo, the remaining trucks would be assigned to its facilities in the central U.S. first before arriving on the East Coast later this year. Tesla has also installed four 750-kW Megachargers at PepsiCo’s Sacramento and Modesto facilities.
All the trucks that PepsiCo ordered are 500-mile versions, although Tesla also announced plans to build a 300-mile version. Knowing Tesla, we’re not entirely sure about that, as the smaller battery might cripple the trucks and lead to more bad press for the company. While PepsiCo is the first customer to receive Tesla’s electric Class-8 trucks, it’s not the only one to have ordered them, with UPS and Sysco also joining the fray.
There have been many speculations about the opportunity of purchasing the Tesla Semi fleet. Like many Tesla products, the Semi was shrouded in controversy. Even after the final product was introduced, people talked about its capabilities (or lack thereof). New information from Pepsi revealed that the food juggernaut uses the trucks very differently for its Pepsi and Frito-Lay facilities. More specifically, the trucks hauling soda bottles for Pepsi would only drive 100-mile (161-km) stints. Meanwhile, those carrying chips for Frito-Lay could take longer routes, up to 425 miles (684 km).
This fueled speculations that Tesla Semi might have some range issues. Tesla advertised the truck with a 500-mile (805-km) range for a fully loaded 82,000-lb (37,200 kg) rig, so the 100-mile routes were puzzling. Eventually, PepsiCo cleared this misunderstanding, saying it would subsequently assign longer trips as it gained confidence in the trucks’ capabilities. The recent event in Modesto also shows that PepsiCo is proud of its electric trucks, showing them off to the public.
The Tesla Semis were the attraction point at the event, next to other environmentally-friendly trucks hauling goods at the facility. Among them were natural gas-powered semi-trucks and electric box trucks, tractors, and forklifts. They were all acquired as part of a multi-pronged environmental project that started three years ago. The project has resulted in a 91% reduction of greenhouse gases from Modesto Frito-Lay’s fleet, equivalent to taking about 1,000 standard SUVs off the road.
The six Tesla Semis on display were part of the overall order of 15 received last December. Tesla has yet to deliver 64 Semis, with plans to do it this year. According to previous information offered by PepsiCo, the remaining trucks would be assigned to its facilities in the central U.S. first before arriving on the East Coast later this year. Tesla has also installed four 750-kW Megachargers at PepsiCo’s Sacramento and Modesto facilities.
All the trucks that PepsiCo ordered are 500-mile versions, although Tesla also announced plans to build a 300-mile version. Knowing Tesla, we’re not entirely sure about that, as the smaller battery might cripple the trucks and lead to more bad press for the company. While PepsiCo is the first customer to receive Tesla’s electric Class-8 trucks, it’s not the only one to have ordered them, with UPS and Sysco also joining the fray.
NEWS: Modesto Frito-Lay plant shows off @Tesla Semis, sustainable fleet as part of $30.8M project.
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) January 19, 2023
PepsiCo says the tech upgrades at their Modesto plant have resulted in a 91% reduction in green house gas emissions from direct fleet operations.
Source: https://t.co/EIo8JX7i6P pic.twitter.com/nabUkKjzBM
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