A 27-tonne electric bin wagon has hit the streets of Stockton-on-Tees, according to the local authority.
The ELECTRA eStar is believed to be the first of its kind to be used on daily bin rounds in the North East.
Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council’s bin crews are collecting around 20 tonnes of waste a day with the new refuse collection vehicle.
The new vehicle, which is on trial as part of the council’s carbon reduction plans, is expected to clock up 12,500 miles every year.
‘Carbon emissions from this wagon will be a fraction of those from our conventional diesel wagons,’ said the council’s cabinet member for environment and transport, Cllr Mike Smith.
‘But what we really need to understand alongside this is how this kind of electric vehicle performs in service.
‘We’ve got this one on a five-year trial and are putting it through its paces to assess things like its reliability and battery performance in various operating conditions.
‘We’ve got a fleet of around 400 vehicles and of those vehicles, our bin wagons consume the most fuel so this is a key part of our carbon reduction plans.’
Cllr Smith added: ‘We’re also mindful of the fact that new petrol and diesel vehicles won’t be sold in the UK from 2030 so it makes sense to start preparing for this shift now.
‘Trials like this will be key to helping us make informed decisions about bringing more electric vehicles into our fleet in the years ahead.’
