Independent waste management company Bywaters has put its first eCollect to work on collection rounds in Central London as it begins its journey towards acquiring an all-electric fleet of collection vehicles.
Before buying the vehicle, the family-owned company trialled the eCollect on different rounds in London to test its functionality and battery life, and decided it was ‘an obvious choice’.
‘This is just the first step on the road to establishing a 100% electric fleet. It is not only the right thing to do but will also win us customers and help us retain existing customers,’ said Bywaters’ head of logistics James Carlisle.
‘We’ve had a very good relationship with Dennis Eagle for years and after the trials, this vehicle was an obvious choice for us.
‘It’s currently operating on an eight-and-a-half-hour shift and only using up 32% of the battery power. And it does it cleanly and efficiently with zero emissions and minimal disturbance.’
The bin lorry will be charged at its Lea Riverside materials recovery facility in Bow, East London where electricity is generated by 4,000 rooftop solar panels. It is the largest retro-fitted photo-voltaic (PV) installation in the whole of London.
Dennis Eagle’s regional sales manager Dan Foden said: ‘I’m delighted to see this vehicle being put to work like this – the company and the eCollect are a great match.
‘Sustainability is at the heart of Bywaters’ operations and I believe the eCollect has a key role to play in the journey they are taking.’
