PepsiCo received delivery of 21 electric Class 8 Tesla Semis at its bottling facility in Sacramento, California. The EVs will roll out on local delivery routes. With another 15 now at its Modesto Frito-Lay facility, that brings the total to 36, according to published reports.

Eighteen of the 21 trucks at Sacramento, as well as charging infrastructure built at the PepsiCo facility, were funded in part by $4.5 million in grants from Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District, the Sacramento Bee reported.

.@PepsiCo is rolling out 18 #zeroemission@Tesla semi-trucks in South Sacramento thanks to an @AQMD grant made possible in part by CARB’s #AB617 Community Air Protection program, a @CAClimateInvest program prioritizing communities with greater #airpollution.#capandtradepic.twitter.com/rSCGt1SyNq

— CARB (@AirResources) April 11, 2023

According to reports from media that attended the delivery announcement event, Pepsi officials said a single Tesla Semi can drive 400 miles on a one-hour charge. 

The District is proud to help fund the @Tesla semis & chargers unveiled today at @PepsiCo’s South Sac facility. This project will help transition #Sacramento to a green economy & improve #airquality for our most vulnerable residents! @CaClimateInvest@AlbertoAyalaPhD@EricZGuerrapic.twitter.com/AfYMBt5ncH

— Sac Metro Air District (@AQMD) April 11, 2023

PepsiCo was the first to receive the Tesla Semi at the end of 2022, five years after the introduction of the truck.

Frito-Lay Completes Third-Party EV Shipment

Meanwhile, PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay North America completed its first-ever third-party shipment on an electric vehicle with Schneider National.

Initial shipments on Schneider's growing Freightliner eCascadia fleet will be intermodal inbound and outbound dray moves in southern California, including service to Frito-Lay's Rancho Cucamonga distribution center.

This is the first third-party transportation shipment on an electric vehicle for PepsiCo globally and establishes Frito-Lay as the first to contract transport on Schneider's electric truck fleet of Freightliner eCascadias.

An emissions reduction of more than 70% is expected this year from the initial EV routes, versus the same shipments on diesel trucks, company officials said in a press release.

"As we roll out our fleet of almost 100 new battery electric trucks, we're thrilled to offer a cleaner mode of freight transportation to valued customers like Frito-Lay, who share our goal of operating in ways that are environmentally responsible," said Rob Reich, executive vice president and chief administrative officer at Schneider.