Cleanaway has marked a turning point in the company’s history, as it welcomes the first of two fully electric collections vehicles which form part of a three-month trial.
CEO and Managing Director, Vik Bansal said “this is an exciting step forward for our business as we continue to work toward our mission of making a sustainable future possible. With almost 5,000 vehicles on the road each day servicing homes and businesses all over Australia, we are looking for ways to do that more sustainably.”
Despite excitement about the first of a new generation of waste collection vehicles, the ability to deliver a consistent and reliable service remains a core focus.
“It’s important that we continue to deliver a consistent service each day to the households and businesses who rely on us. Sustainability is about more than removing emissions at all costs. If service levels drop or waste collection costs increase significantly for ratepayers – that isn’t sustainable.” Bansal said.
The two fully operational vehicles are among the first in Australia to be servicing kerbside collections, which means they’ll be under pressure to carry full loads and complete scheduled runs every day. “Cleanaway is optimistic about proving the reliability of the technology” said Paul Young, Cleanaway’s Head of Fleet. “The trial is designed to encourage fast learning so that the electric vehicles can continue operating once the trial has ended, allowing Cleanaway to introduce more electric and combination fuel vehicles to the permanent fleet.”
With zero emissions, the vehicles are expected to run for 180-200 kilometres before needing to recharge. The brakes also regenerate – reducing repair and maintenance costs, and the consumption of other parts like brake pads.
The vehicles will also significantly reduce noise which makes early morning or late-night collections possible for some waste streams, such as green waste, which could reduce the impact for other road users in highly congested areas. READ MORE
Article by Cleanway, 15 May 2019
