Enfield goes electric with Renault refuse trucks

The London Borough of Enfield has received the first of an order of four fully-electric Renault re­fuse trucks, following an exten­sive development and evalua­tion process.

The 26-tonne Renault Trucks E-Tech D Wide Low Entry Cab rear steer axle refuse truck is said to offer ultra-quiet opera­tion, and is equipped with a CP Davidson Titan refuse body.

Powered by four lithium-ion batteries, its two AC synchro­nous electric machines provide power for the vehicle and recov­ering regenerative energy with permanent magnet technology delivering maximum power of 370 kW peak, continuous power of 260 kW and maximum torque of 850Nm.

The truck will service house­holds across the borough, and will soon be joined by a further three vehicles which are ex­pected to be in operation by the summer. The E-Techs will be looked after by dealer Norfolk Truck & Van on a full repair and maintenance contract.

To complement the refuse trucks, Enfield Council has or­dered a further five 3.5-tonne Renault Trucks E-Tech Master 33kWh Cage Tippers, which will be put to work on the council’s parks operation. One of the new vehicles has been allocated to the fleet services department and converted to a service van, which will provide on-site repairs and servicing for fleet and com­mercial customers.

The new electric vehicles are expected to cover between 50- 100 miles per day depending on operational requirements, with refuse collections accruing roughly 50 miles per day, and the street cleaning team cover­ing about 30 miles. The fleet will be charged at the Civic Centre in Enfield Town or the Morson Road depot where dedicated charge points are available.

“Where possible, electric vehicles will be our first choice when it comes to fleet replace­ments,” said Enfield Council’s cabinet member for environ­ment, Cllr Rick Jewell.

“This will result in a fleet of clean and efficient vehicles. Moving to electric vehicles will ensure our carbon footprint is reduced and kept to a minimum.

“Enfield Council has been working in partnership with Re­nault Trucks UK for more than a year on the development of the electric refuse truck. Prototypes went through extensive testing and road trials right here in En­field.

“We were extremely happy with how the vehicles performed in our waste collection opera­tions, demonstrating high per­formance and reliability, even along our longer routes, and very good battery life. This per­formance is critical for a large, busy, London borough.”

Cllr Ergin Erbil, deputy leader at Enfield Council, added: “Our Climate Action Plan includes a switch of the Council’s vehicle fleet to electric with a target of 60 per cent by 2026 and 100 per cent by 2030. In addition, we have a programme of install­ing charging points at council offices and depots for our fleet, a lamppost EV charging instal­lation programme is currently underway across selected areas of the borough and a roll out of rapid chargers in town centres and at strategic locations in En­field…

“Emissions from transport in Enfield account for an estimated 39 per cent of the borough’s to­tal emissions. The electrification of our fleet, along with ongoing support for walking and cycling, will help to achieve our local cli­mate action goals as well as the Mayor of London’s targets for active and sustainable travel in the capital.”

Carlos Rodrigues, managing director, Renault Trucks UK & Ireland, said: “It has been a priv­ilege to work alongside Enfield Council in the development of their first fully electric refuse vehicle.

“Renault Trucks is a pioneer of electric mobility and we are delighted to utilise our knowl­edge and experience to partner with Enfield Council on their fleet decarbonisation journey.”