WALKER, MI -- Meijer will be among the first companies to drive Tesla's first all-electric big truck rigs.

The Midwest retailer has ordered four trucks. The $5,000 down payment per vehicle gives the company the chance to be the first to test drive the trucks.

"We have made a small financial commitment to ensure we are at the front of the line to test this new Tesla truck technology, which has the potential to not only reduce our carbon footprint but also realize cost savings that will allow us to keep prices low for our customers," said Frank Guglielmi, Meijer spokesman.

Once the testing is complete, Meijer will make a decision on whether to complete the purchase, he said.

The electric trucks were unveiled in the Los Angeles area on Thursday, Nov. 17, by Telsa founder and CEO Elon Musk.

Production is expected to begin in 2019.

This is Tesla's first foray into trucking after producing high-end electric cars and SUVs for more than a decade.

Last month, competitor German automaker Daimler AG unveiled its own semi truck, which won't be available for a few years.

"It's kind of like the checkered flag is being waved," said Glen Kedzie, energy and environmental counsel with the American Trucking Associations. "We've seen different fuels come and go, and electric has gotten to the front of the line."

Tougher emission standards on the horizon and falling battery prices are driving interest from companies like Meijer.

Still, electric powered trucks are much more expensive than traditional diesel fueled rigs.

The class 8 heavy-duty vehicle will be at least 20 percent more fuel efficient and will be able to drive around 500 miles before needing to recharge, Musk said.

Another issue for EV trucks are the long charging times and the lack of chargers along highway routes. Tesla has been investing in developing an infrastructure of charging stations.

The trucks will also be high tech in another way. They'll feature autopilot as standard.

"This is a massive increase in safety," Musk said.

Meijer already has one of the largest all-clean diesel fleet in North America.

Meijer operates a fleet of 250 semi-trucks that, collectively, cover an estimated 25 million miles annually to the chain's 235 supercenters throughout Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Wisconsin.

Three years ago, the company announced its fleet of Freightliner Cascadia trucks were equipped with new fuel efficient, reduced-emissions engines.

The Walker-headquartered company credited improving fuel efficiency for reducing its carbon footprint by nearly 60 percent since it first began implementing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's 2010 near-zero emissions standards.

Earlier this year, Meijer received a SmartWay Excellence Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for its outstanding environmental leadership.

"Meijer has always prided itself on being innovative, especially in our fleet and supply chain," Guglielmi said.

Tesla already has a presence in West Michigan. The automotive maker owns a tool and die company in West Michigan and has several suppliers in the region.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.