Tesla Semi: What is the outlook for Pepsi?
This page is translated from the original post "Tesla Semi : quel bilan pour Pepsi ?" in French.
- 20/12/2022 14:00
Pepsi was the first company to receive the Tesla Semi. Though still in the discovery phase, they are already making deliveries with Elon Musk’s electric truck.
A few days after receiving its Tesla Semis, PepsiCo shared its initial impressions. The company, which is currently deploying 36 units of the electric truck, found that the vehicle’s range is indeed quite substantial, provided that the cargo is not too heavy.
Mike O’Connell, PepsiCo’s vice president, provided quite specific examples. According to him, a Tesla Semi carrying chips – PepsiCo doesn’t only produce sodas – still has 20% of its battery remaining after a 684 km trip. This figure should be compared to the 805 km of theoretical range announced by Tesla.
More mixed results with heavy loading
The situation appears somewhat less favorable with heavy loads. Currently, Pepsi’s Tesla Semis achieve only about 160 km when transporting sodas. This figure seems very low and is somewhat difficult to interpret. Does it reflect a real weakness of the vehicle, or is Pepsi exercising excessive caution?
The Semis are recharged on Tesla’s mega-chargers, fully installed at Pepsi’s expense. These ultra-efficient charging stations are capable of delivering nearly one megawatt of continuous direct current. According to Mike O’Connell, they can charge the battery from 20% to 80% in 35 to 45 minutes.
Pepsi plans to keep the trucks for 7 years. By the end of this period, the vehicles will have traveled approximately one million kilometers. “Operating costs will amortize over time”, affirmed Mike O’Connell.
The introduction of Tesla trucks into Pepsi’s fleet was facilitated by incentives targeted at businesses. The vehicle’s price has never been officially disclosed but is believed to be between $230,000 and $240,000. Subsequently, a Tesla Semi with 480 km of range will make the offering more accessible. Pepsi already plans to order this model, indicating that their overall experience has been positive.
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