The first completely electric refuse vehicle, the eCollect, designed by OEM Dennis Eagle, has gone into service in the UK.
After two years of extensive safety and efficiency tests to get a comprehensive picture of its safety and durability, the Dennis Eagle eCollect has been purchased by Nottingham City Council, followed by Islington Council and Greater Cambridge Shared Waste Service.
The OEM’s eRCV uses a battery pack providing up to 300kWh of charge, and a 200kW electric drivetrain.
The attraction of opting for electric refuse vehicles is to help councils reach their net-zero goals in order to reduce air pollution in the area.
‘The electric RCV is the Holy Grail of municipal vehicles and we have wanted one for years. So, to finally get our hands on them and put them into service emptying bins is very satisfying indeed,’ commented Andrew Smith, assistant fleet manager at Nottingham City Council.
‘Our eCollects have been going out at 6:30am and finishing at around 1:30pm, collecting a full load then a smaller one – up to 18 tonnes in total. But they are coming back with 40% charge remaining. The vehicle are finishing quicker, shaving around an hour off the run time. So, all in all, we are delighted with them,’ Smith concluded.
Dennis Eagle’s Sales & Marketing Director, Richard Taylor, said: ‘The fact that we have reached the point where we can produce a 26-tonne vehicle for such an energy-demanding role also speaks volumes about how far electric vehicles have developed in recent years and how much more widespread they will become in the near future.’
Photo Credit: Dennis Eagle eCollect
