Wiltshire Council has invested in a 100 per cent electric waste collection vehicle is to be trialled around the county.
The Volvo FE Low Entry Cab RCV was parked up outside Trowbridge County Hall on Thursday, January 9, and displayed to members of the public before being sent off to urban areas in the north of the county for the council to see how it fares.
Cabinet member for waste and environment Cllr Dominic Muns said that the team hope this £323,000 investment will “pay for itself long-term” through its lack of fuel costs.
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According to him, the vehicle is a “really well-built machine” that residents would soon see trialled in towns like Calne and Chippenham.
It will later be tested in the city of Salisbury.
The council will be looking to assess the vehicle’s performance in semi-urban, semi-rural, and finally the mainly rural rounds.
Cllr Muns said: “The difficulty in Wiltshire - you see it all across the council - is the rurality of the county.
“So, we’ve got to check, with an electric vehicle, the issues with range.
“When it comes to a waste collection route, it varies from 25 miles up to 125 miles, so we’ve just got to make sure that it is suitable and for which parts of Wiltshire it’s suitable for.”
He explained that electric vehicles are less intrusive and would improve the air quality of the streets.
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For now, the purchase of further electric bin lorries will not be considered until the current service contracts end in 2026.
At this point, Cllr Muns and the rest of his team will decide how to best equip the fleet for the future.
He concluded: “This is a good evolution in the decarbonisation that we are carrying out as a council, from our buildings to our fleet.”
Deputy chief executive of The Hills Group Ed Dodd said the new vehicle was “a really exciting opportunity”.
The Hills Group provides Wiltshire Council’s waste and recycling, and, according to Mr Dodd, is responsible for kerbside collections for around 220,000 households.
In a statement, he noted: "We are excited to support Wiltshire Council’s carbon neutral mission with the trial of the Volvo 100 per cent electric RCV.
"Our crews are looking forward to testing the eRCV across a variety of collection routes in the county.
“It is another example of our commitment to operating sustainably, which already includes route planning to minimise mileage and driver training to ensure that vehicles are driven in a careful manner to help optimise fuel efficiency.”
Amy Stokes, Head of e-Mobility, Volvo Trucks UK & Ireland, said: “Our electric technology is designed to deliver performance, efficiency, and environmental benefits.
"This partnership with Wiltshire Council and Hills Group allows us to bring those advantages to life.
"It’s an ideal opportunity to support the council’s plans for a cleaner, more sustainable waste collection fleet.
"We’re eager to demonstrate how electric trucks can meet the demands of diverse operating environments, from urban areas to rural rounds.”
Adam Buckley-Mayes, principal engineer, at TRAILAR, said: “We’re thrilled to be working with Wiltshire Council to support their mission to be carbon neutral by 2030 and we’re committed to delivering sustainable transport for all.
"The benefits of adding solar to the eRCV is the extended vehicle range, reduced charging time, proactive battery maintenance as well as powering all the onboard electrical equipment therefore reducing requirements on the vehicle’s battery.
“We look forward to reviewing the solar benefits for Wiltshire once the vehicle is out in operation."
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