Schneider reserves electric Tesla Semi trucks

Truckload and logistics giant Schneider Inc. said it has reserved an unspecified number of electric-powered trucks from automaker Tesla Inc.

Green Bay, Wis.-based Schneider plans to test the Tesla Semis to measure their impact on the fleet's performance in terms of sustainability and technology, the company said. "We are excited about the potential the electric Semi truck offers for delivering a smaller carbon footprint, dramatically lowering life-cycle operating costs, and enhancing the driver experience," Mark Rourke, Schneider's executive vice president and COO, said in a statement.

Schneider is the latest transportation provider to reserve Tesla Semi trucks before the model's planned production launch in 2019. Last week, food service distribution company Sysco Corp. said it had ordered 50 Tesla Semis, and Budweiser producer Anheuser-Busch Co. LLC, a unit of Belgian brewer AB InBev, said it had ordered 40 of the electric trucks.

Palo Alto, Calif.-based Tesla charges a $20,000 down payment for each reservation, and will charge $150,000 for the model with a 300-mile range and $180,000 for the model with a 500-mile range.