(BRK.A), (BRK.B)
Beer brewer Anheuser-Busch, in partnership with Nikola Motor Company (Nikola) and BYD Motors LLC, 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.
The Nikola hydrogen-electric truck picked up the load of beer, including flagship beer brand Bud Light, and delivered it to Anheuser-Busch local wholesaler partner, Lohr Distributors – marking the first commercial delivery onboard a Nikola hydrogen-electric vehicle. Lohr Distributors then delivered the beer to the Enterprise Center, home of the St. Louis Blues, on a BYD electric truck – a milestone delivery for the brewer as the beer reached its destination with zero-emissions from transportation.
“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,” said 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 25% by 2025.
Last year, Anheuser-Busch placed an order for up to 800 hydrogen-electric powered semi-trucks from Nikola, a pioneer in hydrogen-electric renewable technology. The partnership will help the brewer transition their entire long-haul dedicated fleet to zero-emission vehicles.
“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 Anheuser-Busch 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 BYD 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.”
To further highlight the power of partnership, Anheuser-Busch is hosting more than 100 strategic suppliers and partners in St. Louis this week for their inaugural Eclipse Summit to discuss best practices and align on collective action in sustainability. Both Nikola and BYD will be participating in the summit to highlight their cutting-edge technology and the impact of their partnerships with the brewer.
BYD and Berkshire Hathaway
In 2008, Berkshire Hathaway bet on BYD’s potential, purchasing 225 million shares. It’s an investment that has paid off handsomely. Berkshire’s original investment of $230 million has grown in value almost ten-fold, and is now worth roughly $1.96 billion.
For More on BYD, read the Special Report: BYD, Berkshire’s Tesla.
© 2019 David Mazor
Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.