For a vehicle that’s apparently as innovative and game-changing as the Tesla Semi, relatively few details have been announced about the Class 8 truck. This will change when PepsiCo brings one of its Semis to the ‘Run on Less’ trucking event in September.
PepsiCo was the first company to take delivery of a fleet of Tesla Semis and the Run on Less event will allow the company to see exactly what the truck is capable of. The Semi will be operated with a maximum payload and complete a round-trip test of as much as 500 miles (805 km). Important data from the tests will be published online, including the total distance traveled as well as the effect of speed and distance on battery charge. Weather conditions and wind speeds will also be analyzed, Auto News reports.
“We’re really excited to participate in the run and allow the industry to have access to the insights and the learnings that we are getting from experiencing these vehicles,” sustainability and technology director at PepsoCi’s North America division Amanda DeVoe said. “We’re gonna run ‘em hard. We really want to demonstrate the capability of our team, the capability of the Semi and the capability of the Class 8 electric vehicle to compete with the [internal combustion] counterpart.”
Read: Tesla Semi Gets Its First Recall Over Parking Brake Glitch That Could Lead To Rollaways
Executive director of the North American Council for Freight Efficiency, Mike Roeth, told Auto News that getting a Tesla Semi to participate in the event is a big deal given its potential to disrupt the trucking industry in a major way.
When Tesla first showcased the Semi in production guise late last year, it revealed that it had completed a run from its Fremont, California factory to a PepsiCo bottling factory in San Diego. Tesla says the Semi was fully loaded to around 82,000 lbs (37,194 kg) and completed the 500-mile drive with 4% battery left.
PepsiCo expects to take delivery of 100 Tesla Semis this year. Other truck manufacturers including Volvo, Freightliner, and Nikola will also have electric trucks participating in the event.
