Frito-Lay plans to have the largest fleet of all-electric commercial trucks in North America and is headed in that direction with the announcement that it is putting five trucks on the road making deliveries in New York City beginning this month.
The salted snack manufacturer plans to have 21 electric trucks operating this year in Canada and the U.S. with another 150 to follow next year. Frito-Lay currently has six vehicles operating in Canada. The trucks, designed by Smith Electric Vehicles, can go up to 100 miles on a charge and generate no tailpipe emissions.
Frito-Lay also plans to operate electric trucks in Columbus, Ohio and Ft Worth, Texas as part of its pilot program.
"Frito-Lay has implemented bold goals for reducing our use of key resources such as fuel to ultimately help us reduce our overall environmental impact," said Mike O'Connell, director of fleet capability for Frito-Lay North America, in a press release. "There are real economic and environmental benefits to electric trucks. Once the planned 171 electric trucks are deployed, we will eliminate the need for 500,000 gallons of fuel annually. Each truck emits 75 percent less greenhouse gases than a conventional diesel truck."
"Frito-Lay's truck program is a significant step forward in the advancement of electric vehicles," said Bryan Hansel, CEO of Smith Electric Vehicles. "Businesses will improve their environmental impact and see cost savings with the reduction of fossil fuels. More importantly, the insights gained operating in urban environments will be invaluable in extending electric vehicle technology to consumer markets in the future."
Frito-Lay is far from alone in attempting to green its fleet. Many other companies are looking to improve fuel efficiency and reduce greenhouse gases through a variety of means. Safeway, for example, went to a completely biodiesel fleet in 2008. At the time, the company estimated it would "reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 75 million pounds annually, the equivalent of taking nearly 7,500 passenger vehicles off the road each year."
Discussion Questions: What do you think will be the fuel choice of the future for U.S. retail distribution? Do you see a transition to alternative fuels happening in the near-term?