Frito-Lay putting 8 electric delivery trucks in service in Boston area as part of 176-EV fleet

PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay North America division is introducing 8 new electric trucks in the Boston area as part of a larger 176-unit electric fleet rollout in North America; once those are deployed, Frito-Lay will have the largest commercial fleet of all-electric trucks in North America.

The trucks, designed by Smith Electric Vehicles, operate for up to 100 miles (161 km) on a single charge.

Frito-Lay’s fleet program aligns with the Massachusetts Clean Cities Coalition, which works with vehicle fleets, fuel providers, community leaders and other stakeholders to reduce petroleum use in transportation.

The Massachusetts Clean Cities Coalition is part of a nationwide program sponsored by the US Department of Energy (DOE) that focuses on promoting the adoption of alternative fuel vehicles (AVFs), as well as supporting the development of infrastructure necessary to make AVFs a viable transportation option.

With the seventh largest privately owned fleet in the US, we have set a goal of becoming the most fuel efficient fleet in the country, and these vehicles give us an opportunity to use the latest advances in transportation technology as a significant way to reduce our environmental impact.

—Mike O’Connell, senior director of fleet for Frito-Lay North America

Frito-Lay North America is the $13-billion convenient foods business unit of PepsiCo (NYSE: PEP), which is headquartered in Purchase, NY.