In an effort to clean up its streets in more ways than one, the city of Madison, Wisconsin added two Class 8 electric trucks to its garbage fleet earlier this year in the form of Mack Electric LR HDEVs … with plans to add two more.
In 2017, the city of Madison became the 25th city in North America to set a zero-net carbon goal for operations by 2030 and the city as a whole by 2050. and equipment fleet with the deployment of two Mack Electric LR HDEVs – reportedly the first two Class 8 BEVs to be shipped to America's dairy world.
“One of the reasons why we are involved in electrification is that it is better for the environment,” explained Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway. “These garbage trucks are hitting every part of the city of Madison. That's a lot of diesel fumes in our neighborhoods. If we can get even one diesel truck off the roads … it's a win for our community.”
Class 8 Mack trucks are powered by two electric motors that put out a combined 400 kW (about 536 hp) through a 2-speed Mack Powershift transmission that delivers an incredible 4,051 lb-ft of peak torque. That's more than 40% more power than the first generation LR Electric released in 2019 – and this iteration can fully charge 376 kWh batteries in less than two hours at 150 kW.
Two trucks are charged overnight at the city's truck depot, using DCFC chargers provided by ChargePoint.
“Five years ago, Madison had no electric vehicles in its fleet,” continued Mayor Rhodes-Conway. “Today, we have more than 100 fully electric vehicles, 150 hybrid models, and, thanks to the Biden-Harris administration, 62 new electric buses to serve our rapid transit system. Heavy-duty electric vehicles are at the forefront of zero-emission technology. Madison will help demonstrate the performance of these new electric waste trucks in real-world conditions and help quantify the long-term savings associated with eliminating fossil fuel costs and reducing maintenance costs.”
Electrek's Take
Municipalities across the country are beginning to understand that electric waste trucks offer real benefits – not just financial or environmental – that make the lives of the people who live, work and around them much better. Apparently the mayor of Madison gets it, and these two Mack HDEVs won't be the last.
SOURCE | PHOTOS: Mack Trucks, via Facebook.
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