Walmart Canada Ups Order for Tesla Semi Trucks Transitioning to Cleaner Fleet

Photo Source: Walmart Canada/Tesla

Operating 410 stores and directly employing 85,000, Walmart’s presence in Canada went from virtually nothing to being one of the country’s largest, most-influential retail businesses over the course of nearly 25 years. While there are varying positive and negative views of Walmart Canada by the population in general, there is no deputing in the fact that the company is currently the go-to physical destination for Canadians. Understandably, moving goods from coast to coast requires a great deal of energy. Even if dealing with e-commerce, large quantities of items need to flow often through the use of transport trucks. Walmart Canada maintains a massive logistical network that includes 8.75 millions square feet of total distribution space. Despite importance for moving goods across Canada, the retailer is now focused in reducing the amount of energy consumed and emitted for daily distribution. In a bold 10-year plan, Walmart Canada will convert their entire vehicle fleet to operate alternative energy supplies with a soon-to-be released all-electric truck serving a major role.   

Shortly after the announcement of Tesla’s potentially game-changing Semi truck late last year, Walmart placed an order for 10 vehicles. Early this September, Walmart Canada has quadrupled their initial plans in purchasing Tesla’s soon-to-be released all-electric transport truck. Committing to 40 Tesla Semi trucks, the ultra-sleek 0.36 drag coefficient-conforming shape projects a bold, new image for Canadian roads. When the full order of Tesla Semi vehicles will be integrated into the retailer’s fleet, Walmart Canada is going to possess the one of the largest collection of electric vehicles by a company in this country.

By 2028, Walmart Canada plans to go operate a vehicle fleet on alternative energy solutions. Beyond the Tesla Semi trucks, details for the plan have not been fully revealed. In 2010, the company’s opening of its Balzac fresh food distribution centre involved a number of features focused on sustainability including hydrogen fuel cell forklifts.

The Tesla Semi is an upcoming purely electric transporter primarily boasting a useful range up to 800 kilometers. Propelled through four electric motors located at the rear axles, the Tesla Semi demonstrates impressive performance attributes that exceed those of traditional transport trucks including 0 to 100 kilometers per hour acceleration in just 25 seconds and the ability to travel more than 100 kilometers per hour on a 5 percent grade. The vehicle comes with an advanced safety suite consisting of Automatic Emergency Braking, Lane Departure Warning and a complement of cameras surround the vehicle.

Of the 40 Tesla Semi trucks, half of them will be based in Walmart Canada’s upcoming distribution centre in Surrey, British Columbia. The high-efficiency, high-technology location was set for construction in 2021 and is described as a zero-waste facility when it is set to open in 2022. The Tesla Semi trucks will serve an important part in the environmentally-conscious distribution centre. The remaining count of the all-electric transport truck will be deployed at Walmart Canada’s Mississauga, Ontario distribution centre around the same time period.