Go ahead, buy that Coke and that bag of Doritos. What expands the waistline may at least help the planet a little. In July, Coca-Cola and Frito-Lay took delivery of the Smith Newton, the largest road-going electric truck in North America. Powered by lithium ion batteries and a 120-kilowatt electric motor, the Newton reaches a speed of 50 mph, can go 100 miles on a full charge, and is made in Kansas City. Or it will be, when Smith Electric Vehicles, a British company, begins assembly in an airline overhaul base at Kansas City International Airport. The company received a $10 million grant from the stimulus plan after it committed to the heartland. But the best number may be zero, as in the trucks' emissions as they deliver junk food and other useful items.
