Great Yarmouth Borough Council has taken delivery of Norfolk’s first fully electric refuse collection vehicle as part of its Net Zero strategy.
The council’s wholly owned company, Great Yarmouth Services Ltd, which is responsible for waste collection across the borough, placed an order for the vehicle after a rigorous five-day trial last year.
The drivers and crews were impressed with the truck – an eCollect model made by British manufacturer Dennis Eagle – which they found was quiet, had smooth acceleration and familiar, user-friendly control systems.
The vehicle is powered by battery packs, and there are no particulates or nitrogen oxide produced by petrol or diesel engines. It means the refuse vehicle is suitable for use in low and zero-emission zones and ideal for areas where air pollution is high or especially unwelcome.
The council has a target of becoming Net Zero by 2035 and is constantly looking at how it can reduce its carbon footprint. Using electricity also means the vehicle is cheaper to run than if it used diesel or other alternative fuels, such as hydrogen.
Councillor Paul Wells, Great Yarmouth Borough Council’s portfolio holder for Environment and Sustainability, Licensing and Waste, said: ‘’I am delighted that we have taken delivery of our first electric refuse vehicle.
‘’Not only is it an important step on our journey towards Net Zero here at Great Yarmouth Borough Council, but it is also cost effective and much more quiet than other waste vehicles.
‘’We have plans to continuously update our fleet for Great Yarmouth Services and the feedback from our crews makes us confident this vehicle is an excellent choice to join our depot.’’
The council says there is more predictability about operational costs for the truck because electricity prices are generally more stable than oil prices. It said it ordinarily costs less than half as much to travel the same distance in an electric vehicle than one run on petrol or diesel.
It also believes maintenance costs will be reduced because the engine doesn’t require filters or oil changes and there will be less wear and tear.
The new vehicle is also quieter than traditional waste vehicles which means collection times and routes will be completed with less disturbance for people.
As part of its Net Zero strategy, the borough council has also invested in new charging infrastructure, specialist tools, equipment and HGV fitter training to allow staff to safely carry out routine maintenance and repairs.
Last month the council also took delivery of two new electric vans to join the Great Yarmouth Services fleet. If the three-month trial of the vans is successful, they will become a permanent part of the fleet.
Images courtesy of GYBC
