Waste collection vehicle manufacturer Terberg RosRoca Group, owner of the Dennis Eagle brand in the UK, has announced the launch of a fully-electric 26-tonne collection truck, expected to go into production in late 2019.
Dubbed the eCollect, the company has offered a preview of the new vehicle at IFAT environmental technologies show in Munich which is running this week.
Described by the company as a ‘fully integrated product’, featuring a low-entry chassis, refuse compaction body, bin lift and telematics system, the vehicle will use specifically designed battery packs and control systems, using 300kWr ‘next generation’ batteries, with a 200kW electric motor driving a conventional axle.
It will initially be available to the market in a 26-tonne 6×2 rear steer narrow (2.25m wide) configuration with left or right-hand drive options, a 19m3 narrow body and automatic split bin lift.
The manufacturer is the latest to enter the market for electric vehicles for the waste and recycling sector — which is seen as a sector likely to be widely impacted by efforts to tackle air pollution in towns and cities.
In recent months Volvo has announced the production of a 27-tonne electric model, designed for the waste and recycling market (see airqualitynews.com story), and City of London  is trialling a 26-tonne vehicle developed by Electra (see aiqualitynews.com story).
Tim Conlon, group commercial director at Terberg RosRoca, said: “Aside from the replacing the diesel engine with an electric drive system, we have been mindful of making minimal changes to the existing vehicle design to provide ease of maintenance, as well as product familiarity with drivers and crews.
“As is the norm for our rigorous product development process, the eCollect is currently undergoing extensive trials and technical verifications. This process will allow us to ensure that we go to market with fully optimised battery management software, enabling the range of the eCollect to meet the unique requirements of urban collections and ensuring it provides a viable, high-performance solution comparable to traditional fuel types.”