Get ready to see PepsiCo-branded Tesla Semis on the roads of North America in the near future, as the multinational food, snack, and beverage corporation has placed an order for 100 units.
Elon Musk’s company has declined to comment on the topic, reports Reuters, but it’s been said that Tesla’s semis should help PepsiCo’s goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions of their supply chain by at least 20 percent until 2030.
Mike O-Connell, Senior Director of PepsiCo’s subsidiary Frito-Lay, has revealed that the multinational, which operates over 10,000 trucks, is currently trying to find suitable routes for Tesla’s electric trucks. They also have to figure out whether they are more convenient for hauling shorter shipments of heavy beverages, or lighter loads such as snacks on longer routes.
It’s unknown at this time how much PepsiCo has paid Tesla Motors to reserve the 100 zero-emission Semis, but the manufacturer initially asked for $5,000 per unit for pre-orders, a sum that has risen to $20,000. Pricing should start at $150,000 for the model with the 300-mile (480km) range, and $180,000 for the 500-mile (800km) one.
PepsiCo’s order is believed to have added up to an already impressive number of more than 1,200 reservations for the electric truck, with customers including more than a dozen companies such as Wal-Mart, Sysco, Anheuser-Busch and J.B. Hunt.
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