Anheuser-Busch on Thursday joined the list of carriers wanting first crack at Tesla’s electric tractor, placing an order for 40 of the trucks as part of a company-wide strategy to employ cutting-edge technology to reduce the environmental impact and increase the efficiency of its operations.
“At Anheuser-Busch, we are constantly seeking new ways to make our supply chain more sustainable, efficient, and innovative,” says James Sembrot, Senior Director of Logistics Strategy. “This investment in Tesla semi-trucks helps us achieve these goals while improving road safety and lowering our environmental impact.”
The 40 semi-trucks, one of Tesla’s largest reported pre-orders, will be fully electric-powered and equipped with autonomous driving capabilities, as part of the company’s commitment to improving road safety and reducing carbon emissions.
A 300-mile variant of the Tesla Semi costs $150,000; the 500-mile model, $180,000; and a Founders Series will run $200,000, according to Tesla’s website and each requires a $20,000 deposit.
Anheuser-Busch says integrating the Tesla semi-trucks into the brewer’s distribution network will help achieve its commitment to reduce its operational carbon footprint by 30 percent by 2025 – the equivalent of removing nearly 500,000 cars from the road globally each year.
In addition to its partnership with Tesla, Anheuser-Busch is also working with Nikola Motor Company to develop and implement hydrogen-powered engines within its network, and with Otto and Uber Freight to test autonomous driving technology. The world’s largest brewer has also partnered with Convoy to access on-demand trucking capacity.
In 2016, an Otto truck carrying 51,744 cans of Budweiser completed an autonomous truckload shipment from Anheuser-Busch’s Ft. Collins, Colo. brewery to a distributorship in Colorado Springs, a distance of 132 miles – the first ever commercial beer delivery using autonomous driving technology.
