VDL presents first electric vehicles for waste collection

VDL has presented the first electric vehicles for the collection of waste and raw materials, together with public waste collectors HVC, ROVA, the municipality of Rotterdam and Cure. These two side loaders, are already deployed by HVC and ROVA in 2019.

These electric vehicles are being used to collect non-recyclable waste and raw materials (plastics, metals and drinks cartons, biodegradable waste and paper) in residential areas. A significant advantage of these vehicles is that they do not release any harmful substances and that waste collection takes place with little noise disturbance. Electric side loaders ‘lift’ up mini containers to the side of the vehicle and subsequently empty the contents into the vehicle’s bin.

Innovation
Initiator and main transporter of the project is VDL Translift, manufacturer of innovative waste collection solutions for (underground) containers in Dronten. “It is fantastic to see this sector collaborating closely on the new generation of vehicles”, says director Mathijs van der Mast. “We are proud of the outcome and have high hopes for an electric future. The new platform offers countless possibilities for continued innovation and for contributing towards a better climate. It is our ‘green mission’ to succeed in this.” Electric vehicles are a natural fit for VDL’s ‘smart mobility’ strategy, which stands for electrification, connectivity, autonomous driving and mobile services. Furthermore, with these new vehicles, VDL is reinforcing its position as European market leader in the electrification of heavy-duty vehicles.

Specifications
The electric collection vehicles are built on a 3-axle DAF CF truck chassis with a 28-tonne load weight and a steerable tag axle. The electric motor produces 210 kW of power and 2,000 Nm of torque. The engine receives its electricity from a battery pack with a gross capacity of 170 kWh, offering a driving distance of up to 100 kilometres on one fully charged battery. Fast-charging stations supplied by VDL will be put into service at the sites of the end users. To make optimal use of the collection routes, charging the electric collection vehicles in between can be done within just half an hour.