Walmart Canada orders 30 Tesla semi-trucks
Where’s there’s smoke, there’s fire. This time, that’s a good thing for Tesla.
In the midst of a public relations nightmare—CEO Elon Musk apparently smoked marijuana during a live podcast Thursday—Tesla got some good news Thursday when Walmart Canada announced that it is buying 30 Tesla semi-trucks in addition to the 10 it ordered last year. The trucks, which cost $232,000 apiece, will be delivered over the next five years, according to The Canadian Press.
Walmart Canada, which operates 410 stores, aims to reduce its carbon footprint by having its entire fleet powered by alternative energy by 2028. The Canadian subsidiary of the U.S.-based retail giant says the Tesla 18-wheelers will help it meet its goal of electrifying 20 percent of its fleet by 2022.
Half of the 40 Tesla semi-trucks will operate out of Mississauga, Ontario, while the other half will be assigned to Walmart’s distribution center in Surrey, British Columbia, which is set to open in 2022.
According to The Canadian Press, Tesla says the semi-trucks will offer a better experience for truck drivers, increase safety, and significantly reduce the cost of cargo transport. The trucks will have a range of 800 kilometers (almost 500 miles) and will consume less than two kilowatt-hours of energy per mile at highway speed—50 percent more energy per mile than a standard semi-truck.
Vehicle cameras will help detect objects and minimize blind spots, while other safety features include automatic emergency braking, automatic lane keeping and lane departure warning.
