Grupo Modelo , part of brewing giant AB InBev , announced it will invest more than $3.6 billion in Mexico from 2025 to 2027 to modernize its plants, boost the circular economy, and empower its customers with technology, credit, and infrastructure improvements.

At Thursday’s morning press conference, Raúl Escalante , Grupo Modelo’s vice president of Corporate Affairs, added that the funding will also help strengthen local supply chains.

“Around 70% of the inputs we use today are domestic, but there are certainly many opportunities to continue increasing this number,” he explained.

The investment will also be used to promote and sponsor positive experiences for Mexicans, such as festivals, fairs, concerts, sports, and entertainment, including, Escalante noted, the World Cup and the Olympics.

“Today, Madam President (Claudia Sheinbaum), we come to renew our commitment to the country. Grupo Modelo proudly announces that during the 2025-2027 period, we will invest more than $3.6 billion in the country, aligned with Plan Mexico,” he stated.

At the conference, he highlighted that they represent 1% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and that their value chain extends from the countryside to the corner store.

Escalante emphasized that Grupo Modelo has confidence in Mexico, given the uncertainty generated among investors by the U.S. tariff plan.

“Over the course of a century, we’ve grown alongside the country, from our first brewery here in Mexico City to today, bringing Mexico’s most valuable and representative brands to more than 180 countries. We stand with Mexico like good friends, in the good times and the bad times,” he emphasized, adding that the country is his primary market.

The company noted that this investment is aligned with Plan Mexico , which seeks to place the Mexican economy in the global top 10 through major investments.

Marcelo Ebrard , head of the Ministry of Economy , recalled that Plan Mexico is a navigation route that aims to “increase our national production, our national content, recover pride in Mexico, Made in Mexico, promote national or in-Mexico investment to reduce imports, expand infrastructure capacities,” among others.

In his speech, the federal official indicated that merchandise from China has been seized, as one of the goals of Plan Mexico is to increase domestic production and reduce imports . Ebrard also mentioned several companies whose patents were revoked for spoofing imports.

The investment announcement by Grupo Modelo, which produces brands such as  Corona, Victoria, and Pacífico , comes amid a U.S.-led tariff war currently on hold for 90 days.

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GUADALAJARA, JAL. – The roots of the founders of Autotransportes Pilot are cemented in passenger transportation and infrastructure construction. Although cargo transportation was not entirely unknown, for these two entrepreneurs who began operations in 2009, it was undoubtedly charting a new course.

Five years ago, Arturo Sánchez Carcoba, partner and founder of Autotransportes Pilot, recalled: “Our family comes from the passenger transport business, but in 2006, Roberto, my partner, my mother and I decided to change our activities to freight transport.”

On this journey, they ventured into the transportation services of Grupo Modelo , where they entered with a rented vehicle, and then began to explore areas of growth, moving towards a portfolio of dedicated, local and border crossing services.

In its first decade, Pilot managed to consolidate a fleet of 130 units, both tractor-trailer and trailer. Over the last five years, the acceleration has been constant. According to the Top 100 of Autotransporte® , Pilot Autotransportes is now ranked 36th with a fleet of 500 tractor-trailers and 920 semi-trailers.

1. “Today we are among the 100 largest companies in Mexico and we are not going to stop here, we are going for more,” said Gerardo Jiménez, general director of Autotransportes Pilot, during the anniversary celebration.

Meanwhile, Arturo Sánchez and Roberto García, founders of the company, recalled the challenge of starting and staying on the path, but also the recognition of the collaborators who have been key in this journey and, of course, their clients and suppliers.

“Thanks to our business partners, who believed in us and supported us in disruptive projects. At Pilot we are not a truck company but a people company,” said Arturo Sánchez.

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The director of the Mexican Association for the Promotion of Electric Vehicles (AMIVE), Diana Ávalos, said that electrification represents a great opportunity for the country, partly due to its enormous commercial fleet, which ranks fifth worldwide , however, she highlighted the need to have adequate infrastructure , since the lack of charging stations is one of the biggest obstacles to wider adoption.

In this regard, Ávalos highlighted that the shift towards electric mobility would help reduce CO₂ emissions, improve air quality in cities and generate significant savings for companies that electrify their fleets.

However, he warned that this process will require strategic planning for the installation of charging stations , because currently the Mexican electrical system is not prepared to meet this demand without major adjustments.

“We cannot simply place charging stations wherever we want; the national electrical system requires investments and improvements in transmission and distribution,” explained Ávalos during the conference Opportunities for the electrification of commercial fleets , within the framework of the Transport Logistics Forum, held in León, Guanajuato.

He also said that electrification of fleets could be particularly beneficial for last-mile transport, given that these vehicles travel long distances and have high operating costs.

He mentioned as an example that companies such as DHL and Grupo Modelo have already begun to electrify their delivery fleets, observing a positive impact on their operating costs . However, Ávalos stressed that these advances are limited by the lack of high-power chargers necessary for heavy-duty vehicles.

“It is essential that the government and companies collaborate to establish shared freight yards, especially in strategic transportation corridors,” said Ávalos.

Another challenge facing Mexico is the limited capacity to generate and distribute electricity.

“In densely populated cities, the electrical system would not be able to support the volume of chargers required in homes and businesses, so it is necessary to consider alternatives such as shared charging centers,” he explained.

In this context, he pointed out the example of Hermosillo, where the electrification of the patrol fleet was complemented with solar panels in the loading yards, which allows for a reduction in costs in the long term.

Ávalos also highlighted the United States’ interest in the electrification of its cargo vehicles, driven by tax incentives and subsidy programs. However, he warned about the differences between the two countries in terms of infrastructure and resources.

The director of AMIVE highlighted the need to view the electrification of fleets as a business opportunity and as a catalyst for technological development in Mexico.

In his view, the country has the potential to become a producer and developer of electric vehicles and not just a consumer market.

“Mexico has a robust automotive industry and skilled people. We must focus not only on assembling, but on developing our own technology,” said Ávalos.

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The project, based on the reuse of diesel truck infrastructure , predicts that up to 107 tons of CO2 will be avoided over the next 10 years, contributing significantly to the energy transition in Mexico.

Diego Castillo, Director of Purchasing and Sustainability for Logistics at AB InBev , highlighted the importance of electric mobility in moving towards a circular and more sustainable economy.

“Celebrating sustainable mobility issues in Mexico is a milestone for us. At Grupo Modelo we are convinced that the integration of innovative technology will have a significant impact on how we approach mobility, contributing to a cleaner and more sustainable future,” said Castillo.

He also highlighted the results of the first year of operation of the pilot electric truck.

“The transition to electromobility that we are carrying out is key to a more sustainable future,” Castillo concluded.

For her part, Marcela Tovar, LATAM Business Development Manager at Evolectric, said that during the first year of the pilot program, the electrified truck demonstrated efficiency above expectations.

“We have achieved an 83% reduction in operating costs related to energy consumption compared to diesel. The vehicle was 42% more efficient than anticipated,” Tovar explained.

According to Tovar, the project’s focus is not limited to the electrification of new vehicles , but includes the reuse of trucks that had been left out of operation.

“The energy transition is not just about buying new vehicles. We reused the truck’s chassis, cabin and box, which allowed us to avoid the emission of 5.9 tons of CO2, even before the vehicle began operating,” said Tovar.

In addition, the vehicle charging infrastructure also played a crucial role in the success of the project. With charging capacity up to 100 kW in direct current, the charging speed targets were achieved.

The project is not limited to environmental benefits only, but also has a long-term economic focus.

“In terms of total cost of ownership (TCO), we have seen a 34% reduction compared to a conventional diesel vehicle, which reinforces the viability of moving forward with electrification in our fleet,” Tovar said.

This type of project developed by Grupo Modelo and Evolectric seeks to set a precedent in the logistics industry, focusing on sustainability, cost reduction and the reuse of existing resources.

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