Sponsored By

Albertsons Adds 10 Tesla Electric Semis to Southern California Fleet

The move is part of the retailer’s efforts to decrease carbon emissions, run cleaner transportation. The move is a part of the retailer’s efforts to decrease its carbon emissions and run a cleaner transportation program.

WGB Staff

November 8, 2018

2 Min Read
Tesla semi truck
The move is a part of the retailer’s efforts to decrease its carbon emissions and run a cleaner transportation program.Photograph courtesy of Tesla

With a mission to decrease carbon emissions and operate a cleaner transportation program, Albertsons Cos. is purchasing 10 all-electric Tesla semitrucks for its Southern California fleet to service Albertsons, Vons and Pavilions stores.

The trucks will be able to travel 300-500 miles on a single charge, even with a fully loaded trailer, using less than 2 kilowatt hours of energy per mile, the retailer said.

“Advancing supply chain efficiency and sustainability is an important goal for our company,” said Tom Nartker, VP of transportation for Boise-based Albertsons, in a statement. “We’re excited to pilot this expansion of our transportation program with trucks that help us limit our overall carbon footprint.”

The move marks an expansion of Albertsons’ commitment to running a safe, sustainable fleet to service its 2,300 stores nationwide. As a partner of the Environmental Protection Agency’s SmartWay transportation program, which is designed to help companies advance supply chain sustainability, the retailer actively promotes SmartWay certification to improve freight efficiency and environmental performance.

Albertsons’ entire truck fleet of more than 1,400 trucks nationwide is SmartWay certified, as well as 92% of its trucks operated by third-party carriers.

The addition of electric Tesla semis follows Albertsons’ release of its 2018 Sustainability Update, highlighting the retailer’s accomplishments in reducing waste, expanding organic and sustainable seafood offerings, and supporting charitable causes, such as its recently announced Hunger Is fundraiser to combat childhood hunger, which raised $7.2 million in 30 days.  

“Our employee promise is to Make Every Day a Better Day,” Albertsons President and CEO Jim Donald said in a statement. “That means being a good community partner and a committed steward of the environment. We take that obligation seriously because our company is growing and innovating at lightning speed. And when we move forward, we leave a trail behind.”

Additional highlights from Albertsons’ 2018 Sustainability Update include:

  • The O Organics line of USDA-certified organic products surpassed $1 billion in sales.

  • Albertsons won the 2017 Environmental Protection Agency Safer Choice Partner of the Year Award for promoting safer products, such as its Open Nature household cleaning supplies.

  • The retailer trained 3,000 pharmacists to administer Narcan nasal spray, which reverses the effects of an opioid overdose.

  • Albertsons donated more than $250 million in food donations to local food banks.

  • The retailer raised and distributed $44.6 million to support causes that impact its customers’ lives, such as wildfire and hurricane disaster relief, veterans’ charities and cancer research.

  • Albertsons was named an EPA Green Power Partner for the fourth consecutive year for procuring and using renewable energy.

Stay up-to-date on the latest food retail news and trends
Subscribe to free eNewsletters from Supermarket News