There's almost nothing more annoying than trying to sleep late on trash day and being shocked awake by the noisy garbage truck. The city of Madison, Wisconsin, has cut out much of the noise and all of the emissions with two battery electric Mack LR models from Kriete Truck Centers.
Kriete Truck Centers President and CEO David Kriete said the two electric refuse trucks his dealership sold to the city where it is based were the first two electric models the company ever sold, but it has since taken orders for two more: Mack's MD Electric.
The city of Madison (population 274,000) became the 25th city in North America in 2017 to set a goal of achieving 100% renewable energy and zero-net carbon emissions for city operations by 2030 and community-wide by 2050. The two electric LRs the city has operated since July are the first two Class 8 BEVs to hit the road in the state. Mack's LR Electric refuse truck debuted in 2019 and was the first heavy BEV collection truck in the country.
The two zero tailpipe emissions trucks delivered to the City are a Mack LR Electric with a Leach rear-loader and a Mack LR Electric with a Labrie Automated Side Loader (ASL).
Kriete Truck Centers President and CEO David Kriete said the two electric refuse trucks his dealership sold to the city where it is based were the first two electric models the company has ever sold, but it has since taken orders for two more: Mack's MD Electric.
Low-mileage return-to-base operations like garbage collection are targets of opportunity for zero emissions trucks, as frequent stop-and-start cycles help pump energy back into the truck's batteries via regenerative braking. Following a successful pilot that lasted nearly a year, the New York City Department of Sanitation added seven LR Electrics to its refuse fleet.
David Kriete noted the refuse market is mostly dominated by a few huge players, namely Waste Management and Republic Services, but those behemoths are followed by hundreds of municipalities coast to coast.
Kriete's Madison Mack and Volvo dealership was the company's first EV certified location, a process David Kriete said took about six months. Four more locations are now certified.
Two AC motors provide up to 536 peak horsepower and a two-speed Mack Powershift puts out 4,051 lb.-ft. torque. Mack’s next-gen batteries have up to 42% more power than previous generations and charge fully in about 120 minutes at 150kW. The trucks are charged by the city overnight. Four NMC (Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide) lithium-ion batteries, charged through a 150 kW, SAE J1772-compliant charging system, power the vehicle and all onboard accessories through 12-, 24- and 600-volt circuits.
The City of Madison in 2017 became the 25th city in North America to set a goal of achieving 100% renewable energy and zero-net carbon emissions for city operations by 2030 and community-wide by 2050.
George Fotopoulos, Mack Trucks' vice president of e-mobility, called Tuesday's handing over of the trucks to the city more than simply the handoff of a new truck to a customer. "It's embarking on a new era of waste management," he said.
Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway said just five years ago, her city had no electric vehicles in its fleet, but it now has the largest municipal electric vehicle fleet in Wisconsin made up of more than 100 full electric vehicles, 150 hybrids, and 62 new electric buses that will enter the city's bus rapid transit system later this month.
Rhodes-Conway noted the inspiration to acquire electric trash trucks came in part from her competitive spirit, having heard the city of Boise, Idaho, purchased one first.
"One of the reasons we're going all-in on electrification is because it's better for the environment. These refuse trucks hit every single block in the city of Madison. That is a lot of diesel fumes in our neighborhoods. If we can take even one diesel truck off of the streets... it is a win for our community."
It's also a win for the city's budget. Rhodes-Conway said on any given day, roughly 30 refuse trucks are on city streets and she highlighted savings in parts and labor and fuel costs. "We're investing money in the capital side to save money on the operating side," she said, adding the city didn't receive any subsidies or grants to acquire the two new trucks.
The city of Madison’s Mack LR Electric models are covered under the comprehensive Mack Ultra Service Maintenance Agreement tailored specifically for the technical needs of BEVs. It includes scheduled maintenance, preventative maintenance, towing and repair, a battery monitoring service and Mack’s connected uptime services in one package that can be included with monthly truck payments.
Low-mileage return-to-base operations like garbage collection are targets of opportunity for zero emissions trucks, as frequent stop-and-start cycles help pump energy back into the truck's batteries via regenerative braking.
