Orange is the new green as University of Tennessee electrifies its garbage fleet

Orange is the new green at the University of Tennessee, which deployed a new McNeilus Volterra ZFL electric garbage truck at its Knoxville campus this week, bringing together advanced, battery-electric waste collection technology and Made-in-Tennessee manufacturing.

Campus garbage and recycling routes are a nearly ideal use case for electrification, combining frequent stopping and starting, low operating speeds under heavy loads, significant pedestrian and vehicle traffic, and a noise-sensitive (read: hungover) populace.

To that end, the University of Tennessee chose the Made-in-Tennessee McNeilus Volterra electric platform to reduce tailpipe emissions and diesel fuel use while taking advantage of the truck’s regenerative braking and quiet operation – particularly useful during early-morning collection routes that run by dorms, libraries, and lecture halls.

“The University of Tennessee is an ideal example of how purpose-built electric refuse and recycling collection vehicles can be integrated into demanding, real-world operations,” explains Lee Dreas, president of McNeilus Truck and Manufacturing. “The McNeilus Volterra electric refuse and recycling collection platform was engineered from the ground up to deliver the performance, reliability and operator experience customers expect from their collection vehicles while providing the benefits of an electric platform. We’re especially proud to see a vehicle built by our team in Tennessee put to work at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.”

The Vols love their Volterra

“There is something special about putting a truck built by hardworking Tennesseans to work at the University of Tennessee,” said Brad Moats, recycling supervisor at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville Facilities Services Department. “The McNeilus Volterra gives us an opportunity to support regional manufacturing while bringing advanced electric vehicle technology directly into our daily campus operations. We’re excited to put this truck to work, measure its performance under real-world conditions and use what we learn to help guide the future of our fleet.”

The truck itself is a Class 8 electric refuse truck fitted with a 499 kWh battery pack (with an optional 665 kWh pack available) sending power through a high-torque e-axle. McNeilus says the Volterra ZFL is designed for all-day operation on a single charge, while published specifications for the platform’s base configuration list up to 110 miles of route capability over a 10-hour shift – more than enough for daily recycling duty around the Knoxville campus.

SOURCE | IMAGES: McNeilus Garbage Trucks.

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