Programmed Embraces the Rollout of Electric Refuse Trucks
From 2020, Waiheke Island has had three zero-emissions electric refuse trucks collecting residential refuse and recycling. Originally the trucks were put on the Island by Auckland Council as part of their desire to encourage all contractors to move towards zero emissions, and since then, Programmed has taken on this duty. Programmed acquired Auckland Council’s maintenance arm, Amenities, and Infrastructure Maintenance Service at the beginning of 2022, and since then has been discussing the environmentally sustainable replacement of all other vehicles.
Programmed actively looks for ways to be innovative and more sustainable and encourages the rollout of electric vehicles as part of our plan to be net-zero by 2030. For the past three months, the team at Programmed has continued to make use of and test these electric vehicles, finding them to be beneficial.
While using the electric refuse trucks, the team has found that they not only have environmental benefits, but they have a lower running cost and fewer parts to maintain under the hood. They have also found that residents prefer them as they are quieter in the mornings.
The team is currently running two electric side arm loaders that are single man operated and one rear loader on Waiheke. Programmed is exploring the wider use of electric vehicles and hopes to start replacing their current diesel and petrol-powered vehicles with more efficient electric vehicles as part of their environmental plans in the coming years.
David Curgenven, Programmed’s Operations Manager says, vehicle emissions make up more than 40 percent of Auckland’s total carbon emissions, so every vehicle we replace with electric will help us reduce emissions and increase the sustainability of our region.
The refuse truck’s power comes from a direct-drive permanent magnet motor producing 130 kW at peak power with a continuous rating of 100 kW. The battery parameters are 132 kW/h Li-NMC. The truck can be plugged into a standard three-phase socket at Programmed’s facility and is expected to take around six hours to fully charge.
