PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay North America division has ordered 100 additional Newton 2000 all-electric vehicles this year from Smith Electric Vehicles. The new order comes after the company announced it has surpassed one million miles driven by its fleet of 176 all-electric vehicles.
“The first million miles with the electric trucks have been a journey of understanding and refining both how and where we use these vehicles, as well as providing input to help improve upon the performance for the next generation vehicle,” said Mike O’Connell, senior director of fleet capability for Frito-Lay North America. “We are now in position to more quickly accelerate our strategy and grow the electric vehicle fleet.”
(Video: See a video of Mike O’Connell explaining Frito-Lay’s decision to deploy the Newton)
Frito-Lay said the trucks have eliminated approximately 200,000 gals. of diesel fuel. With all-electric trucks fully deployed on routes, Frito-Lay expects to reduce its fuel consumption by 500,000 gals. a year. The trucks generate zero tailpipe emissions. Electric trucks reduce fuel consumption, noise pollution and vehicle CO2 emissions, compared to traditional delivery trucks.
“As we push to make Frito-Lay’s fleet the most fuel efficient commercial fleet in the U.S., we need to continue to build on our current strategy and look for options to address other types of trucks in the fleet - one of which will be compressed natural gas for our tractor fleet,” said O’Connell.
The 67 CNG tractors, to be purchased from Freightliner, will be introduced this spring. The tractors are expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 23% compared to diesel and eliminate more than 900,000 gals. of diesel fuel annually.
The CNG vehicles will be used at seven Frito-Lay North America distribution centers, including: Rancho Cucamonga, CA; Irving, TX; Phoenix, AZ; Beloit, WI; Frankfort, IN; Charlotte, NC; and Casa Grande, AZ. The company piloted 18 CNG vehicles to prepare for the roll out.
