Ubico trial all electric refuse collection vehicle

Ubico trial all electric refuse collection vehicle

All of Ubico’s shareholder councils have declared a climate emergency and we are committed to supporting them in their ambitions to cut carbon emissions further. Over the past three years, Ubico has supported our shareholders to implement sustainable, environmentally friendly fuel solutions where possible, as well as adding technology to the fleet which supports improved carbon performance and enables ongoing monitoring.

As a result, Ubico now has electric or hybrid alternatives on several of its smaller fleet and we recently trialled an all electric refuse collection vehicle around Gloucester . This trial enabled Ubico to assess the suitability of the vehicle and its performance in real time. The vehicle was used for residential waste collection, over a three day period around the city. Data from the trial will be analysed to inform future decision making, but immediate feedback from those involved in the trial indicated a smooth and quiet drive.

The eCollect, manufactured by Denis Eagle, is only powered by electricity and so produces no gases that contribute to climate change as it operates. The Gloucester City service, currently operating out of the Eastern Avenue depot in Gloucester, already has  six battery electric Toyata Proace vans currently in operation and a further two electric cage tippers and a customised electric van are on order. Since they were introduced towards the end of 2022 the Toyato Proace vans have provided approximately 45 tonnes of carbon saving in relation to their diesel alternatives.  

Ian Bourton, Head of Fleet Operations at Ubico said:

‘Testing this vehicle was all about trialling a zero-emission alternative to a conventional refuse vehicle. The trial enables us to further examine cleaner and more environmentally friendly fuels in exploration of how the fleet Ubico uses can contribute to net zero  targets, and  support our commitment to cleaner air. We are excited to put this latest technology to the test’