Anheuser-Busch, in partnership with Nikola Motor Company and BYD Motors, has completed their first ever 'Zero-Emission Beer Delivery' in the company's hometown of St. Louis - utilizing both companies' innovative fleet technology to deliver beer from the local Anheuser-Busch brewery to the Enterprise Center using only zero-emission trucks.
A Nikola hydrogen-electric truck picked up the load of beer and delivered it to Anheuser-Busch local wholesale partner, Lohr Distributors - marking the first commercial delivery onboard a Nikola hydrogen-electric vehicle. Lohr Distributors then delivered the beer to the Enterprise Center on a BYD electric truck.
“At Anheuser-Busch, we are continuously searching for innovative ways to improve sustainability across our entire value chain, progressing towards reaching our sustainability goals and driving our industry forward,” says Ingrid De Ryck, Vice President of Procurement and Sustainability at Anheuser-Busch. “No single company can build a more sustainable future alone but this zero-emission delivery has shown what is possible when we bring together the various strengths and assets within our supplier network to work towards a shared objective of a better world.”
The delivery builds on Anheuser-Busch's ongoing commitment to sustainability and existing partnerships with both Nikola and BYD. Through their 2025 Sustainability Goals, Anheuser-Busch has committed to reducing carbon emissions across their value chain by 24% by 2025.
“As the first commercial delivery of freight with our hydrogen-electric truck, this is an exciting time for both Nikola and Anheuser-Busch. This milestone will become an example for all other OEM’s to move away from diesel trucks and towards zero emission vehicles,” said Trevor Milton, Nikola’s chief executive officer. “We look forward to helping the Anheuser-Busch team achieve their sustainability goals by leveraging Nikola’s zero-emissions technology. We are now preparing production vehicles for AnheuserBusch and plan on delivering the trucks as fast as possible.”
To complement the Nikola partnership within their routes, Anheuser-Busch also announced a pilot project with BYD in California last month to improve the sustainability of their fleet at four Anheuser-Busch distribution facilities across southern California. The 21 BRD electric trucks as well as a 958.5 kW solar array to charge the vehicles will be implemented this year as the largest Class 8 electric truck deployment in North America.
“Partnering with Anheuser-Busch is a great opportunity to showcase BYD’s performance and reliability with an industry leader,” said Stella Li, President of BYD Motors. “Our dedication to innovation pairs nicely with Anheuser-Busch’s sustainability commitment.”
