If you have ever dreamed of enjoying a noiseless refuse pickup service and you live in New York, you may soon be able to live your dream as the sanitation department of New York City (DSNY) is going to acquire seven electric refuse collectors. The electric collectors will be supplied by Mack, which is a conclusion to the real world test of the garbage trucks the city started last year. It restricted the testing to Brooklyn.
DSNY is obviously satisfied with the pilot test, which they assessed on payload capacity, driving range, charging facilities, etc. The new electric garbage trucks will put to use in the Bronx, Brooklyn South, Queens East and West, Manhattan and Staten Island, expanding the limits of the pilot test.
The Mack model uses a twin 167 kW electric motor system with output of 448 horsepower and 4,051 pound-foot of torque. There are four nickel manganese cobalt batteries on board capable of receiving 150 kW power. Regenerative braking helps keep the batteries going throughout the day as they make stops to collect garbage.
Mack introduced the model at the WasteExpo 2018 and announced it was already in talks with DSNY for a pilot test. The company plans to start proper manufacturing later this year, at the Macungie plant in Pennsylvania.
DSNY handles the most garbage of any municipality in the world, with 12,000 tons of refuse collected per day and more than 6,000 trucks in operation. Interestingly, Mack supplied the internal combustion engine based trucks and is now gearing up to replace them.
Jonathan Randall, Mack Trucks senior vice president of sales and commercial operations, is quoted as saying; “The DSNY order for an additional seven Mack LR Electric trucks speaks to the fact that the performance of the current LR Electric demonstrator model collecting in Brooklyn is meeting and even exceeding their expectations. Mack has long been the number one choice of refuse customers, and we are now well-positioned to be the industry leader in e-mobility as well. The Mack LR Electric is equipped with Mack’s integrated electric powertrain and will help New York City and DSNY achieve its zero-emissions goals”
“We look forward to our continued partnership with Mack Trucks in striving toward our environmental efforts to benefit the citizens of New York City,” said Edward Grayson, DSNY Commissioner. “The Mack LR Electric demonstrator is performing well, and we look forward to when we have one in each of our city’s zones.”