Best Buy pilots battery-powered vehicles at California distribution sites

Utility Dive · Kelly Stroh · 2026-10-15 10:32 UTC

The retailer deployed electric yard switchers as part of its efforts to curb emissions and will gauge future deployment potential across its supply chain, it said.

Best Buy is piloting battery-powered yard vehicles at two distribution centers in California, according to a FY26 Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability Report. The vehicles, called electric yard switchers, move cargo containers and trailers and produce zero tailpipe emissions.

The investments aim to curb emissions compliance costs at California warehouses while cutting diesel fuel reliance and other associated maintenance expenses, per the report. The pilot is intended to help Best Buy evaluate performance, operational feasibility and total cost of ownership to gauge potential future deployment across the retailer’s supply chain.

Best Buy did not specify which California warehouses were included in the pilot, when it started or future rollout plans, and did not respond by publication time.

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