May 21 (Reuters) -

PepsiCo ( PEP ) said on Tuesday it would expand its fleet of

electric vehicles in California, deploying 50 Class 8 Tesla Semi

trucks and 75 Ford E-Transit electric vans at its facilities in

the state over the next several months.

The beverage maker said the move would help "step-change"

the electrification of its equipment services fleet across

California as it tries to reach its goal of net zero emissions

by 2040.

PepsiCo ( PEP ) first placed an order for 100 Tesla Semis in

2017, making it the biggest public order for the vehicles at the

time.

However, Reuters

reported in April

that Pepsi was using only 36 of the 100 trucks ordered,

disclosing a shortfall in the delivery of the trucks.

The Tesla semi trucks announced today will operate from

its Fresno, California manufacturing facility.

Pepsi said it is partly funding the expansion with a

grant provided by the California Air Resources Board, the San

Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District, and the

California Energy Commission.