Canadian recycling and waste operator Emterra Environmental has invested in its first fully electric vehicle (EV) fleet with eight new Mack LR Electric trucks, making it the largest fleet of its kind in North America.
Due to begin operations in August 2024, the Emterra EV fleet will service approximately 25,000 households and businesses throughout the Comox Valley on Vancouver Island.
“We are thrilled to lead the charge in deploying electrified transportation technology in British Columbia,” said Emmie Leung, Founder and CEO of Emterra Group. “This is a monumental moment for Emterra Environmental and for the waste management industry in Canada.”
The new fleet supports the objectives of British Columbia’s CleanBC Program, which aims to reduce climate-change emissions by 40% by 2030. Transportation currently accounts for about 40% of the annual greenhouse gas emissions in the province and Emterra’s fleet of EV trucks is expected to help reduce emissions by approximately 480 tonnes of CO² each year - the equivalent of taking 104 cars off the road for a year.
Josie Osborne, Minister of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation, Government of British Columbia, said: “This initiative aligns with our CleanBC goals, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and demonstrating the tangible benefits of adopting clean technology with thousands of households and businesses throughout the Comox Valley enjoying quieter, more efficient waste collection services.”
The Mack LR electric trucks are specially designed for waste collection and offer a standard 376 kWh total battery capacity for 42% more energy and increased range between vehicle charges. The truck provides a range of 113 km and can be fully charged in 90 minutes using a 150-kW charger, ensuring minimal downtime allowing it to efficiently cover residential collections. In addition, the two-stage regenerative braking system helps recapture energy from the hundreds of stops the vehicle makes each day with an increasing load.
Jonathan Randall, president of Mack Trucks North America, commented: “This investment by Emterra signifies that refuse companies and municipalities recognise the importance of sustainability and trust that Mack Trucks can help them reduce their environmental footprint with a reliable, durable and quiet truck.”
With support from BC Hydro, the charging station located at Emterra’s material recovery facility in Cumberland will be equipped with six EV chargers that will efficiently power up the trucks overnight. The charging station is connected to a power management system that optimises energy consumption, reduces peak loads, and prevents overloading the facility’s power infrastructure.
The LR Electric models are equipped with an automated side loader from Labrie and will be serviced by Nanaimo Mack.
Emterra’s Leung added: ”The launch of our fully electric fleet in Comox Valley builds on our circular economy legacy. We introduced the first successful municipal curbside recycling program in British Columbia in the early 1980’s, and now we are introducing the first entirely zero emissions collection fleet in Canada.”
