(Reuters) -PepsiCo said on Tuesday it would expand its fleet of electric vehicles in California, deploying 50 Class 8 Tesla Semi trucks and 75 Ford E-Transit electric vans at its facilities in the state over the next several months. The beverage maker said the move would help “step-change” the electrification of its equipment services fleet across California as it tries to reach its goal of net zero emissions by 2040.
PepsiCo first placed an order for 100 Tesla Semis in 2017, making it the biggest public order for the vehicles at the time.
However, Reuters reported in April that Pepsi was using only 36 of the 100 trucks ordered, disclosing a shortfall in the delivery of the trucks.
The Tesla semi trucks announced today will operate from its Fresno, California manufacturing facility.
Pepsi said it is partly funding the expansion with a grant provided by the California Air Resources Board, the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District, and the California Energy Commission.
(Reporting by Juveria Tabassum; Editing by Tasim Zahid)
