Trucks
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By providing clean, quiet and efficient refuse collection, electric garbage trucks offer huge potential for improving the quality of life in urban areas. However, making a smooth transition requires finding the right solution.
Within garbage collection and waste management, needs and operating conditions can vary greatly. To reflect this, Volvo Trucks has developed a broad range of electric vehicles and features to help operators maximize the benefits of electrification.
Since garbage trucks typically cover short, predictable routes, at low speeds and with frequent stop-starts, they are particularly well suited for electrification. Issues such as range and charging are less of a challenge, since most routes can be covered by current vehicles on one charge between shifts.
As garbage trucks normally operate in densely populated areas near people’s homes, electrification can make a huge difference to the local community. Electric trucks let you operate for extended hours, such as early in the morning or late at night, without disturbing residents. They can also be used in low and zero-emission zones.
The Volvo FL Electric offers excellent maneuverability in tight city streets, while delivering ranges of up to 450 km.
To meet the needs of this growing segment, Volvo Trucks has multiple electric vehicles suitable for garbage and refuse collection. Starting with the Volvo FL Electric, which provides excellent maneuverability, ideal for tight city streets, while offering ranges of up to 450 km. If lower range is sufficient, you have the option of choosing fewer batteries and increased loading capacity instead.
For more demanding assignments, there is the Volvo FE Electric, which is available with either a day cab or a low-entry cab for improved visibility and driver comfort. For assignments which demand more still, there is the Volvo FM Electric and the Volvo FM Low Entry – a unique electric vehicle that is particularly well suited for waste collection.
“For electric garbage trucks, we have developed a broad offer to help operators specify a solution that best meets their needs,” says Sergey Yaskevich, Product Manager Distribution, Volvo Trucks. “We have four different models, two of which are available with low-entry cabs. And then we have a lot of different options and features to help customers really optimize their vehicles.”
To better assist with navigating through city streets alongside pedestrians, cyclists and other road users, Volvo’s trucks have been designed to maximize the driver’s direct field of vision.
For optimal visibility, there is the low-entry cab – available with the Volvo FE Electric and standard with the Volvo FM Low Entry. By bringing the driver closer to ground level, low-entry cabs enhance direct visibility of surrounding pedestrians, cyclists and other road users. The low entrance also reduces the strain on when hopping in and out of the vehicle. It can be specified to accommodate up to three passengers and a driver.
Both the Volvo FE Electric and Volvo FM Low Entry can be fitted with extra door windows on the passenger side. The Volvo FM Low Entry can also be equipped with the Camera Monitor System, which further improves direct visibility by replacing conventional side mirrors.
Overall, both models can be specified to reach a five-star rating under the London Direct Vision Standard – one of the industry’s highest standards for vehicle visibility. Good direct vision is also a contributing factor in the Volvo FM earning a City Safe award under the new Euro NCAP safety ratings.
The FM Low Entry offers exceptional visibility due to a lower driving position and features such as the Camera Monitor System
To be able to truly customize solutions to meet specific customer needs, body builders value good collaboration with manufacturers. For this reason, Volvo Trucks has developed its electric range to ensure flexibility and ease of installation for different body types.
“We have excellent working relationships with a lot of body builders, who really appreciate our efforts to work with them,” says Sergey. “We provide detailed instructions with 3D generated drawings, and good channels so they can contact us for any additional support. For our electric trucks, we have also worked closely with all the leading charging suppliers and can provide a long list of fully compatible chargers that have been tested in our laboratories.”
For the Volvo FM Electric and Volvo FM Low Entry, body builders can choose between a gearbox-mounted PTO (power take-off) like that found on conventional diesel trucks, or an electro-mechanical PTO, which uses a separate electric motor to drive the hydraulic pump. This means better control of the hydraulic flow and improved responsiveness. The Volvo FL Electric and FE Electric can also be fitted with the electro-mechanical PTO.
In addition to the vehicles themselves, Volvo Trucks can assist with all other aspects in making the transition to electric. This includes bespoke financing solutions especially adapted for electric vehicles, and comprehensive service contracts that remove much of the risk and uncertainty that comes with new technology. Volvo Trucks can also help with charging solutions including infrastructure, and facilitate collaboration with local charging supplies.
The Volvo FM Low Entry is a unique electric truck developed specially for garbage and refuse collection.
Since becoming one of the first manufacturers to launch battery-electric trucks in 2019, Volvo Trucks has delivered more than 5000 vehicles in 50 countries. Its electric trucks are already fully operational across different industries and segments, from urban garbage collection to long-haul distribution.
“Our vehicles are tried and tested, and our technology is proven,” says Sergey Yaskevich. “We have built up vast amounts of experience in recent years and have helped many companies successfully make the transition to electric. And we can use the knowledge and expertise we have accumulated, to help more companies still.”
If you would like to learn more about the potential benefits of electric garbage trucks, you may be interested in reading about E. Bigler Transporte AG, one of the first companies to use electric garbage trucks in Switzerland.
