Pepsi Adding 50 Tesla Semis and 75 Ford E-Transit Electric Vans in California
In the next several months, PepsiCo Beverages North America (PBNA) will have 50 Class 8 Tesla semi trucks operating out of its manufacturing and distribution facility in Fresno, Calif., and 75 Ford E-Transit electric vans deployed across the state. The electric vehicles will help the company reach its goal of net zero emissions by 2040.
"Our fleet electrification is an important part of our pep+ (PepsiCo Positive) strategy and illustrates how sustainability is a core business strategy at PepsiCo— good for the planet, good for our business and good for the communities we serve," said John Dean, president of PepsiCo Beverages North America’s West Division.
Pepsi’s Fresno location is a 170,000-sq.-ft. manufacturing facility that distributes Pepsi, Starry, Gatorade, Rockstar, Aquafina, and more beverages. At the facility, eight 750-kilowatt Tesla chargers and two Tesla Megapack Battery Energy Storage Systems have been installed to power the electric big rigs.
Across all of PBNA's 13 locations in California, the company is deploying 75 Ford E-Transit electric vans, which will serve a variety of applications, including sales deliveries and service support.
The deployment of electric vehicles in Fresno coincides with a job training program for students in Reedley College and Duncan Polytechnic High School. The program, which educates more than 100 students annually, focuses on developing hands-on job training in the field of electric trucks and infrastructure maintenance.
Tesla semis already are operating out of PBNA's Sacramento facility. Frito-Lay North America also has a fleet of Tesla semis that operate out of its Modesto plant, and Frito-Lay’s Queens, N.Y., facility has a fleet of Ford E-Transits.
Expanding PBNA's electric fleet is supported by a grant provided by the California Air Resources Board, the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District and the California Energy Commission as part of their California Climate Investments.
About the Author
Dave Fusaro
Editor in Chief
Dave Fusaro has served as editor in chief of Food Processing magazine since 2003. Dave has 30 years experience in food & beverage industry journalism and has won several national ASBPE writing awards for his Food Processing stories. Dave has been interviewed on CNN, quoted in national newspapers and he authored a 200-page market research report on the milk industry. Formerly an award-winning newspaper reporter who specialized in business writing, he holds a BA in journalism from Marquette University. Prior to joining Food Processing, Dave was Editor-In-Chief of Dairy Foods and was Managing Editor of Prepared Foods.