‘The future of beer delivery’: Anheuser-Busch orders 40 Tesla electric self-driving trucks

By Rachel Arthur

- Last updated on GMT

Picture: Tesla
Picture: Tesla
Anheuser-Busch has placed an order for 40 Tesla self-driving trucks, saying the technology will help it reduce its environmental impact and increase efficiency. It represents one of Tesla’s largest reported pre-orders.

The trucks will be fully electric-powered, helping Anheuser-Busch reach its commitment to reduce its operational carbon footprint by 30% by 2025 (which equates to taking nearly 500,000 cars off the road).

 “We can’t wait to get these trucks on the road, and keep leading our industry forward to a greener, smarter future in partnership with some of the world’s most innovative companies,”​ said James Sembrot, senior director of Logistics Strategy.  

“The transportation industry is evolving fast, and we’re really excited to play a leadership role in driving this evolution by integrating these new technologies across our network.”

Last year Anheuser-Busch carried out the world’s first commercial shipment via a self-driving truck:​ transporting a trailer of Budweiser across 120 miles (193km) along the I-25 from Fort Collins to Colorado Springs.

Anheuser-Busch is also working on partnerships with other transport developers: such as Nikola (to develop and implement hydrogen-powered engines) Otto and Uber Freight (testing autonomous driving technology) and Convoy (accessing on-demand trucking capability). 

Self-driving trucks

As the largest brewer in the US, Anheuser-Busch ships more than 1.2 million truckloads a year.

In the case of the self-driving truck, a human driver is still involved with pickup and loading. However, once on the interstate highway, the truck can be switched to a self-driving mode.

This means drivers would be able to rest on long stretches of highway, thus offering the potential to extend productive hours without compromising on safety. 

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