PepsiCo's collaboration with Tesla's Semi electric trucks has marked a new era in the world of heavy transportation. Through a recent 12-minute video produced by the North American Council for Freight Efficiency (NACFE), the soft-drink giant provides us with a look into the fleet's operation.
Sustainability Targets: Meeting and Exceeding Goals
PepsiCo's Sacramento facility houses 21 Tesla Semis in a bold step towards sustainability. These electric trucks have become crucial to achieving PepsiCo's sustainability targets, offering an efficiency of 1.7 kWh per mile, leading to a 23% fuel cost reduction. The combination of short-range runs and dedicated long-haul routes highlights the truck's versatility.
The Sacramento facility is backed by four 750 kW DC chargers, allowing Semis to charge from 10% to 90% in 20-30 minutes. This massive charging power supports daily operations and paves the way for future electrified depots.
Beyond Numbers: The Real-World Impact
The NACFE video features several drivers who laud the Tesla Semi for better visibility, comfort, and less tiring experience. Such firsthand insights emphasize the Semi's ergonomic design and the successful transition from traditional internal combustion engine trucks.
But the collaboration between Tesla and PepsiCo goes beyond figures. Amanda DeVoe, PepsiCo's Transformation and Strategy Director, speaks of how essential battery electric vehicles are for PepsiCo's business model. The regenerative braking system, the comfortable interior, and the quick charging contribute to practical and sustainable logistics.
Pepsi Tesla Semi Video
A Glimpse of the Future: Paving the Way for Clean Transportation
The relationship between Tesla and PepsiCo isn't just about two companies. It's a symbol of the broader transformation in the trucking industry. The partnership provides a blueprint for others, reflecting a commitment to cleaner heavy haulage, renewable energy, and technological innovation.
PepsiCo's usage of Tesla Semi electric trucks offers a promising glimpse into the future of logistics and environmental responsibility. The insights shared in the NACFE video paint a picture of a future where innovation and sustainability go hand-in-hand.
As Charles Burton, the head of fleet operations in the western region for PepsiCo Beverages, stated, "This is going to revolutionize how the trucking industry goes to market in the future." The Tesla and PepsiCo partnership is a path forward for the entire transportation industry.
The success of this partnership sets a precedent with lessons that could be replicated across the industry. It not only showcases how two industry giants can work together to meet today's challenges but also how they can lay the groundwork for tomorrow's solutions.
Last week, Mark Ruber, an engineering YouTuber best known for his glitter bombs, released a video where he tested Tesla's Autopilot against various conditions - including the iconic ACME painted wall.
During this test, many people noted that Mark was using Autopilot rather than FSD, even though his video was titled “Can you Fool a Self-Driving Car?”. The Tesla on Autopilot went up against a vehicle equipped with Luminar’s LIDAR rig, running some sort of basic autonomy or safety software.
New Video Tests FSD
Many people were disappointed with Mark’s video and his testing methods, so several creators got to work to actually test out Tesla’s FSD.
Creator Kyle Paul over on X made a much better follow-up video, using both a HW3 Model Y as well as an AI4 Cybertruck. In a relatively unsurprising turn of events, the Cybertruck was successfully able to detect the wall, slowed down, and came to a stop. The Cybertruck was running FSD 13.2.8.
Kyle’s team did a fantastic job building the wall and testing this in a private area using FSD rather than Autopilot. On top of that - they re-tested the results several times and recorded the entire thing in and out. While Mark’s video was more for entertainment, Kyle really set out to prove what would really happen in this unlikely scenario.
Sadly, the HW3 Model Y was unable to detect the wall, and manual intervention was required in each test. While the Model Y was running FSD 12.5.4.2 rather than an FSD V12.6 build, we don’t expect this to have had a significant impact on the test - this is more of an issue with how computer vision analyzes the environment.
There are several major differences between HW3 and HW4. The first is obviously that the version that runs on AI4 is more advanced, as the hardware is capable of processing a lot more data. However, AI4 also features much higher-resolution cameras than HW3, and Tesla recently added the ability for the video feeds to be processed at full resolution on FSD V13. This could have made the difference, although it’s not entirely clear. Perhaps if HW3 gets a version of FSD V13 in the future, HW3 can be retested to see if it passes the “ACME wall” test.
Watch
Kyle’s entire video is below. It’s only 10 minutes long, so definitely give it a watch. Props to Kyle on the quick and thorough execution.
What Does This Mean for FSD?
We broke down Mark’s test - and examined all the little issues that we discovered after doing some in-depth research - you can read our analysis here.
Putting aside the issues with Mark’s testing and instead using the new results - it seems that if you were to have to fight against Wile-E-Coyote and his ACME tools with your Tesla, cartoon logic may win if you’re on an HW3 vehicle. If you’re on an AI4 vehicle, you’ll likely come to a safe stop.
Vehicle depth perception is definitely something that Tesla has been hard at work to improve - and some fairly drastic improvements came with FSD V13 that haven’t been entirely translated to FSD V12 just yet. Future versions of HW3 FSD may be able to determine that the wall is there successfully. So Kyle - if you’re reading this - don’t get rid of that wall. We’d love to see more testing in the future.
However, this entire test scenario is so out of left field… there is a good likelihood this same test would fool some human drivers as well. The most important part is that the future of autonomy will not fall for these tricks, so it's very unlikely for someone to weaponize this idea as it’d only possibly work on a small segment of vehicles.
If Wile-E-Coyote is after you, someone else may drive into the wall before your Tesla does.
Not a Tesla App
We’re not kidding, this really happened already. This isn’t a realistic scenario outside of someone trying to play an insane prank - but it’s good to know that FSD V13 is capable of dodging this.
Tesla regularly holds quarterly all-hands meetings for employees, but last night marks the first time Tesla has live-streamed the event for the public.
The meeting primarily focused on Tesla’s employees, recent achievements, and the future of Tesla. While it didn’t reveal much new information, it was interesting to see Elon Musk candidly engaging with his teams, who seem to genuinely enjoy working with him. Still, there were a few noteworthy takeaways.
As with Tesla’s Earnings Calls and other live events, we’ve put together a concise, easy-to-digest recap of everything discussed.
General Points
Work-related Injuries declined over time
Planning to expand to new markets
Cell Manufacturing
Continuing to invest in battery supply
Cheapest, lowest cost per kWh cell
The supercharger network continues to grow
Vehicle range and charging speed should match the needs of humans and their required time for breaks
![Tesla Updates Energy App in Update 2025.8.3: Adds Reset and Distance Filter [VIDEO]](https://www.notateslaapp.com/img/containers/article_images/2025/updated_energy_app.jpg/979943fb17df5ae4e9fa668b8cd61fca/updated_energy_app.jpg)
![Tesla's Hidden 'Elon Mode' Unveiled: A Sneak Peek into the Future of FSD [Video]](https://www.notateslaapp.com/images/news/2022/fsd-beta-inside_300w.jpg)
