Frito-Lay Electric Delivery Trucks Hit the "Green" Streets of Orlando

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Dec 02, 2011, 08:00 ET

PLANO, Texas, Dec. 2, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- PepsiCo's Frito-Lay North America announces ten new electric trucks will be rolling out in Orlando. These electric delivery trucks will ultimately be part of the largest planned fleet of commercial all-electric trucks in North America.

Electric trucks reduce fuel consumption, noise pollution and CO2 emissions, compared to traditional delivery trucks. In total, Frito-Lay will deploy 176 electric trucks this year in the U.S. and Canada, making Frito-Lay the largest commercial fleet of all-electric trucks in North America.

"The electric vehicle program builds on a long-standing commitment by Frito-Lay North America and its parent company PepsiCo to environmental sustainability," said Mike O'Connell, senior director of fleet for Frito-Lay North America. "With the seventh largest privately owned fleet in the U.S., 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."

The trucks, designed by Smith Electric Vehicles, generate zero tailpipe emissions and operate for up to 100 miles on a single charge. Frito-Lay's fleet program aligns with Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer's Green Works Orlando environmental initiatives, the City's comprehensive plan to encourage environmentally-friendly lifestyles and business practices and encourage residents and visitors to Orlando to "go green." Once the planned 176 electric trucks are deployed, Frito-Lay will eliminate the need for 500,000 gallons of fuel annually. Each truck emits 75% less greenhouse gases than a conventional diesel truck.

"We commend Frito-Lay for their contribution to the City of Orlando's commitment to cleaner, more sustainable transportation options," said Orlando Mayor Dyer. "We hope their initiatives - from waste reduction in production to electric trucks for delivery - are a model for other Orlando businesses to adopt similar sustainable practices."

Frito-Lay is working with Smith Electric Vehicles, the nation's top manufacturer of battery-electric commercial trucks. Smith Electric is a leader in the development of commercial electric trucks designed to operate at peak effectiveness in urban environments. Smith Electric produces the Newton, which is the only medium duty (class 4 - 7) all-electric commercial truck on the market.

Specific benefits associated with Smith's all-electric trucks include:

Can run up to 100 miles on a single charge
Zero tailpipe emissions
Emits 75 percent less greenhouse gases than diesel
Operates virtually silently, eliminating noise pollution
Provides a long term economically viable solution

Green Works Orlando is the City's comprehensive plan to protect our natural resources, encourage environmentally-friendly lifestyles and business practices and engage everyone who lives, works and visits Central Florida in the effort to "go green." For more information, please visit www.cityoforlando.net/greenworks.

About Frito-Lay
Frito-Lay North America is the $13 billion convenient foods business unit of PepsiCo (NYSE: PEP), which is headquartered in Purchase, NY. Learn more about Frito-Lay at the corporate Web site, http://www.fritolay.com/, the Snack Chat blog, http://www.snacks.com/ and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/fritolay.

About PepsiCo
PepsiCo offers the world's largest portfolio of billion-dollar food and beverage brands, including 19 different product lines that generate more than $1 billion in annual retail sales each. Our main businesses -- Quaker, Tropicana, Gatorade, Frito-Lay, and Pepsi Cola -- also make hundreds of other enjoyable foods and beverages that are respected household names throughout the world. With net revenues of approximately $60 billion, PepsiCo's people are united by our unique commitment to sustainable growth by investing in a healthier future for people and our planet, which we believe also means a more successful future for PepsiCo. We call this commitment Performance with Purpose: PepsiCo's promise to provide a wide range of foods and beverages for local tastes; to find innovative ways to minimize our impact on the environment, including by conserving energy and water usage, and reducing packaging volume; to provide a great workplace for our associates; and to respect, support, and invest in the local communities where we operate. For more information, please visit www.pepsico.com.

SOURCE Frito-Lay North America