NRG Riverside, a contract hire and fleet solutions provider, has successfully delivered seven fully electric food waste trucks to Basildon Borough Council as part of an innovative contract hire agreement. The partnership includes full-service and maintenance provision, and it is projected to save the local authority over 900,000kg of CO2 throughout the contract’s duration.
Basildon’s first high-spec 12.5-tonne Electra eCargo with Hillend Engineering Micro XHD body commenced service in April 2023, with the entire fleet operational by the beginning of July. The vehicles were supplied on contract hire by NRG Riverside, offering Basildon Council access to the latest low-emission vehicle technology without requiring a substantial upfront investment, and with fixed pricing over the agreement term.
The Electra eCargo Micro XHD vehicles feature a payload capacity of 4,900kg with a 140kWh battery capacity, providing a range of up to 250km. The trucks’ 150kW DC fast-charge capability enables double-shifting, extending their range by over 100 miles in less than an hour. Additionally, the compact design with a short wheelbase of 3330mm facilitates easy manoeuvrability in busy city centres and narrow streets.
Russell Markstein, Chief Commercial Officer at NRG Riverside, highlighted the longstanding partnership between NRG Riverside and Basildon Council, which dates back to 2011. The collaboration has involved developing a high-tech workshop together and engaging in apprentice schemes with local colleges to recruit and train engineers and apprentices. Since 2011, NRG Riverside has supplied Basildon with top-quality vehicles, starting with clean Euro V diesel trucks and later equipping the entire waste collection fleet with all-electric bin lifts. The recent milestone of delivering the country’s first municipal fully electric food waste fleet demonstrates the continued progress of this partnership.
