Electric trucks a breath of fresh air
New emission-free electric trucks take to the roads in summer 2020 in our mission to lead the way in cleaner, greener collection operations. Renewi’s Commercial Waste Netherlands Division has invested €700,000 in two Volvo FE Electric 6x2 electric trucks – our first – for industrial waste collection in Amsterdam. This puts Renewi ahead of the curve regarding future environmental regulations: Amsterdam’s Clean Air Action Plan will only allow emission-free vehicles in built-up areas of the city from 2025, with even wider restrictions by 2030.
And with the likelihood of a growing number of zero-emission areas in the Netherlands, we are gaining important early experience of collecting waste with electric vehicles. Each 27-tonne truck has four 50kW lithium-ion batteries. These are powered up overnight or with DC fast charging, and during braking, making the vehicles very suitable for urban collection. Commercial Waste Netherlands’ fleet of 1,385 vehicles is impressively green; 48.5% of the Group’s trucks meet the highest emissions standard – Euro 6. All trucks we buy are second-generation Euro 6s.
Renewi is looking at using DAF hydrogenelectric trucks, which efficiently store energy, enabling greater range. “We believe in sustainable trucks,” says Commercial Waste Netherlands Asset Manager Adrie van Duyvenboden, who manages the Volvo truck project. “We see them as the future.”
