Coca-Cola's alternative fuels vehicle (AFV) in North America will surpass 750 by year end with the addition of six eStar™ all-electric,
zero-emission trucks.

Coca-Cola said in a statement that the company will be delivering select products in five U.S. cities utilizing the six eStar trucks starting September.

The eStar vehicles are built by Navistar, Inc., an American manufacturer of medium- and heavy-duty trucks.

The trucks run up to 100 miles per charge and can be fully recharged in six to eight hours. A quick-change cassette-type battery can be swapped out in 20 minutes, enabling around-the-clock operations and aligning the vehicles as an absolute alternative to fossil-fuel urban delivery trucks.

Unlike other electric trucks, which are reconfigured models of fossil-fuel trucks, the eStar vehicles have been purpose-built for electric power with a low center of gravity and strategic battery placement.

The new eStar trucks will be deployed in San Francisco, New York City, Washington, D.C. and Hartford, Conn., with two trucks in Los Angeles.

The eStar vehicles have zero tailpipe emissions, and can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 10 tons annually.

Coca-Cola said the introduction of the eStar vehicles into its fleet is part of its commitment to energy efficiency and the use of alternative fuel vehicles.

"Coca-Cola is committed to investing in alternative fuel vehicles and innovative fleet technologies. This recognition is validation of our efforts to date and motivation to do even more in the future," Steven Saltzgiver, Director of Fleet Operations, Coca-Cola Refreshments said.

Mark Aubry, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Electric Vehicles, Navistar said each eStar can save a company up to 60 percent in fuel costs 50 percent of the vehicle is recyclable at the end of its life cycle.

"The eStar is a smart option for businesses that are looking to positively impact the environment through energy efficiency and sustainability," Aubry said.

In North America, Coca-Cola is also evaluating light-duty propane and natural gas options and is training its drivers in eco-driving techniques, such as minimal braking and early gear changes, through the Company's proprietary Smartdriver program.

Currently, Coca-Cola has the largest heavy-duty hybrid electric fleet in North America with more than 650 hybrid delivery trucks deployed in major U.S. cities, including New York, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Atlanta and Miami.

"Our energy efficiency work is focused on meaningfully reducing the overall carbon footprint of our operations. We do this through a variety of technologies that produce energy efficiencies across all areas of our business, including fleet, manufacturing and sales and marketing equipment," Brian Kelley, Chief Product Supply Officer at Coca-Cola Refreshments said.

Alternative fuel vehicles are a key component of The Coca-Cola Company's Energy Efficiency and Climate Protection strategy in North America.

Other initiatives include the Company's goal of phasing out the use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) in all its new vendors and cooling equipment by 2015 and testing fuel cell technology in production facilities to provide electricity while reducing the facility's carbon footprint.