Tesla Semi partner PepsiCo says electric truck helps with driver retention
PepsiCo, Tesla’s first customer for the Tesla Semi electric truck, gave an update on how its deployment of the electric truck is going and it is going “smoother than expected”.
It even helps with driver retention.
Truck driving is a difficult, thankless job that pays well, but like many other difficult jobs, it has had serious staffing issues for a long time now.
Could electric trucks help?
This is a bit counter-intuitive as many truck drivers are petrolheads who are not your typical electric vehicle buyers. It’s hard to imagine a bunch of truckers excited to drive an electric truck, but that’s exactly what PepsiCo claims.
Yesterday, we reported on Dan Priestley, Tesla’ head of Tesla Semi, giving an update on the program at IAA in Europe.
At the same conference today, Priestley sat down with Dejan Antunović, PepsiCo’s head of electriciation for a “case study” of the brevage and snack company’s deployment of Tesla Semi trucks:
For a “case study”, they didn’t dive too deep into details, but they did push the message that the deployment is going great.
Antunović insisted that the program is going “smoother than expected” and especially with the drivers who are giving positive feedback. The manager went as far as saying that the electric truck helps with driver retention.
First off, Antunović explained what are the company’s trucking needs and how Tesla Semi electric trucks are used in that fleet.
PepsiCo is using the Tesla Semi across three of its fleets:
- Pepsi Beverages Local Delivery Fleet – These trucks operate within cities, typically covering about 150 km (93 miles) or less each day.
- Pepsi Beverages Transport Fleet – This regional fleet consistently travels up to 800 km (497 miles).
- Frito-Lay Fleet – These trucks handle lighter loads over regional routes.
Currently, PepsiCo’s Tesla Semi trucks are based at three depots in California: Modesto, Sacramento, and Fresno. The Modesto depot operates 15 Tesla Semis, all used for regional long-haul routes. In Sacramento, there are 21 Tesla Semis, with 18 assigned to local routes and 3 to regional long-haul routes. The Fresno depot manages 50 Tesla Semis, 45 of which run local routes, while 5 handle regional long-haul routes.
That’s 89 Tesla Semi trucks.
PepsiCo is believed to be a good test partner for electric truck deployment due to their needs for both short and long haul as well as their lighter snack loads and heavier brevage loads.
Without going into the details about cost, PepsiCo appears to back Tesla’s claims that Tesla Semi can replace a diesel truck one-for-one in term of capacity and cost.
The purchase cost is expected to be much more expensive. However, Tesla says that its focus is on Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), which benefits EVs thanks to fuel savings.
During the talk, Priestley said that efficiency has the biggest impact on Tesla Semi’s TCO as the more efficient Tesla makes the truck, the bigger the difference in fuel savings.
Yesterday, Tesla claimed that the electric truck is achieving an impressive 1.6 kWh per mile, which is better than originally expected. Previously, third-party testing proved that PepsiCo’s Tesla Semi had the capacity to travel 1,700 km (1,000 miles) in a single day.
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T1 Energy (NYSE: TE), formerly FREYR Battery, kicks off preparations for its new solar cell factory, set to be one of the largest in the US.
T1 Energy has chosen Yates Construction as the contractor for preconstruction services and site preparations for its planned $850 million, G2_Austin 5 GW Solar Cell Facility.
The G2_Austin site is in Milam County, Texas, in the Advanced Manufacturing and Logistix Campus at Sandow Lakes.
It’s expected to create up to 1,800 new direct US advanced manufacturing jobs. Construction is on track to kick off in mid-2025, and the facility is expected to begin producing cells by the end of 2026. There are currently far fewer solar cell manufacturing sites in the US than solar module factories, according to the SEIA.
On December 24, FREYR announced that it had closed its acquisition of China-headquartered Trina Solar’s 5-gigawatt (GW), 1.35 million-square-foot solar panel factory in Wilmer, Texas. The company renamed the factory G1_Dallas, which employs more than 1,000 people and is now fully online.
Daniel Barcelo, T1’s chairman of the board and CEO, said, “Our facilities will manufacture solar cells and modules to invigorate our economy with abundant energy. We’re excited to work with Yates and Milam County to bring American advanced manufacturing to the heart of Texas and to unlock our most scalable energy resources.”
T1 Energy says it anticipates finalizing commercial terms with Yates Construction as General Contractor.
Read more: FREYR rebrands after killing its $2.6B Georgia battery factory plans
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![Kia's affordable EV2 may be small, but it looks bigger in person [Video]](https://i0.wp.com/electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/05/Kia-EV2-closer-look.jpeg?resize=1200,628&quality=82&strip=all&ssl=1)
The EV2 is set to arrive as Kia’s smallest and most affordable electric vehicle next year. With its official debut coming up, the electric SUV was spotted driving on public roads. The electric SUV may be small, but it looks bigger in person.
Kia’s new EV2 is an affordable, small electric SUV
Kia has yet to say precisely how big the EV2 will be, but it’s expected to be around 4,000 mm (157″), or slightly smaller than the EV3 at 4,300 mm (169.3″). That’s even more compact than the outgoing Chevy Bolt EV (163.2″).
During its EV Day event in April, Kia unveiled the Concept EV2, a preview of the entry-level EV that will sit below the EV3.
Although it’s the brand’s smallest EV, Kia promises that it will feel larger when you’re inside. The EV2 sits higher than you’d expect with a wide front end, giving it a bigger presence on the road, similar to the three-row EV9.
We got a sneak peek at Kia’s affordable EV last month after it was spotted testing on public roads in Korea, but the latest sighting gives us a closer look at the EV2 in its production form. The new video from HealerTV reveals a few details that could look a little different from the concept.
The footage shows what appears to be different daytime running lights (DRLs). When Kia unveiled the Concept EV2 in April, it featured a unique split vertical headlight design.
The EV2 spotted driving still has the split design, but both the inner and outer lights appear to be angled more inwards. It’s not a huge difference, but given most of Kia’s new EVs look almost identical to the concepts, this could be something to keep an eye on.
Prices, specs, and more
Despite being an entry-level model, the EV2 is still equipped with advanced technology and features, including vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability, which allows it to power a campsite, home appliances, and other electronics. With OTA updates, it will only get smarter and more advanced over time.
The interior will feature Kia’s new ccNC (connected car Navigation Cockpit), which features dual 12.3″ driver cluster and touchscreen navigation screens in a panoramic display.
Like its other new EV models, it’s also expected to include a 5″ climate control display for nearly 30″ of screen space.
Kia plans to launch the EV2 next year in Europe and “other global regions.” For those in the US, sorry to disappoint, but it’s not expected to make the trip overseas. We do have the EV4, Kia’s first electric sedan, to look forward to.
We will learn prices and final specs closer to launch, but given it will sit below the EV3, it will likely be cheaper than that.
The EV3 starts at £32,995 ($44,800) in the UK and €35,990 ($41,600) in Europe. Kia’s CEO, Ho-Sung Song, told Autocar in 2023 that the company aims to launch the EV2 at around £25,000 ($32,000) in the UK. With new battery technology and other advancements, it could be even more affordable when it arrives next year.
Kia isn’t the only automaker gearing up to launch a new entry-level EV. Last week, we got a glimpse of the upcoming Volkswagen ID.2 after it was spotted in public testing.
Should Kia bring the EV2 to the US? Would you buy one for around $30,000 or even slightly less? Drop us a comment below and let us know.
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