Louisville launches America's first 100% electric garbage truck fleet

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In what the city is calling a national first, Louisville, Colorado officials held a “ribbon cutting” last Tuesday to celebrate the launch of a new, all-electric residential recycling and waste collection fleet, which is already the city’s streets.

Operating under heavy loads, in stop-and-go conditions, at low speeds, and on a predictable route, electric vehicles are well-suited to waste collection applications – especially in cities, where the average day’s work happens in well under 100 miles of driving.

What’s more, their quiet operation means that residents like young kids and light sleepers are far less likely to be woken up at 0-dark-thirty by a rogue operator with a Jake Brake fetish.

“We are so proud that Louisville will be the first city in the nation with a fully electric collection fleet,” said Mayor Chris Leh. “These innovative EV collection trucks will fulfill our trash, compost and recycling needs, reduce noise pollution, and include larger windshields to increase each driver’s field of vision and lower greenhouse gas emissions, making our neighborhoods quieter, safer and healthier.”

It’s hard to argue with benefits like those, even if Colorado Public Radio casts doubt on the situation by saying, “The question is whether lower operating and maintenance costs offered by EVs could offset the price tag and help a city save money in the long run.”

With B&P customers getting real incentive money from the feds for medium- and heavy-duty EVs (and even more from utility programs), however, there’s a very minimal risk of falling on the wrong side of the cost/benefit equation.

As for the trucks themselves, the Louisville fleet includes four McNeilus Volterra ZSLs. Co-developed with insights from Republic Services, these trucks feature 360-degree cameras, an enlarged windshield for improved visibility, lane-departure sensors, automated emergency braking, and audible devices that alert nearby drivers and pedestrians to compensate for their quieter operations.

The McNeilus Volterra SL is available in 499 and 665 kWh battery capacities, and are eligible for even more incentive money from HVIP and the State of Colorado.

“The City of Louisville’s commitment to sustainability is something we truly applaud,” said Richard Coupland, Republic Services’ vice president of municipal services. “To be the first municipality in the country to adopt an electrified fleet showcases their desire to find tangible solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat climate change. Our partnership exemplifies how we can contribute to a more sustainable world.”

Electrek’s Take

First off, who even knew they had a Louisville in Colorado!?

Beyond that jaw-dropper, the real story here is that municipalities all over are starting to understand that electric garbage trucks offer real incentives – and not just financial or environmental ones – that make life for people who live and work with and near them a whole lot better.

SOURCE | IMAGES: Republic Services; via Blue Nation, CPR.

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