First all-electric garbage truck in California

If you are following Electrek closely, you know that we firmly believe virtually all form of ground transport will quickly move to electric propulsion in the next few decades. And that includes garbage trucks.

In a move toward that goal, California just took delivery of its first all-electric garbage truck this week.

Some hybrid vehicles have already been deployed, like those made by Wrightspeed, which was founded by Tesla co-founder Ian Wright, but the city of Sacramento is the first to use an all-electric one.

The vehicle’s powertrain was built by Motiv Power Systems – the same company that builds plug-in hybrid powertrains for the Ford F-150.

Motiv CEO Jim Castelaz commented on the new truck:

“The value of the City of Sacramento’s zero-emission ERV goes beyond lower fuel and maintenance cost and strict payback. Reducing the amount of diesel-fueled refuse trucks in the city keeps communities safer from toxic diesel emissions. And, in addition to being cleaner, it’s a quieter alternative to conventional trucks – a definite plus for those of us who appreciate peaceful mornings!”

The city expects to save 6,000 gallons of fuel per year with the vehicle. They already deployed the new vehicle in Chicago – pictured above.

Mark Stevens, Fleet Manager for the City of Sacramento, also commented on the latest addition to his fleet:

“The City of Sacramento has a very pro-active sustainability policy, showcased by being voted the #1 Government Green Fleet in North America in 2013. Reducing harmful vehicle emissions in the Sacramento region is a primary focus of our Sustainability Policy, and the most effective way to achieve that goal is to implement electric vehicles into our fleet. We are excited to partner with Motiv Power Systems to design and build the first all-electric left hand automated refuse truck in North America. The City of Sacramento intends to prove that all-electric refuse trucks are the future of the industry, and we anticipate igniting that trend.”

Electric waste management trucks make a lot sense. Of course, it reduces tailpipe emission, but it also significantly reduces noise pollution. Additionally, they do a lot of braking and therefore, a regenerative braking system can be put to good use.

A few companies saw the advantages and they are bringing to market all-electric garbage trucks, like BYD, who unveiled a 3.9-ton battery-powered truck capable of traveling 100 miles on electric range.