Olympia City manager Jay Burney has asked the city council to approve the purchase of six gasoline-fueled waste refuse collection trucks instead of electric ones to replace the existing garbage trucks that have reached the end of their useful life.
During the council meeting held Tuesday, June 7, Burney said the city could not yet shift to electric vehicles because they are not yet available.
"It's not expected for another two to three years to have the technology in place for these vehicles. But our need is now for these six vehicles in particular. As these vehicles age, the maintenance costs go up significantly and they [the existing vehicles] are at the end of their useful life in terms of their need," the city manager said.
A resolution presented to the council asked that the city approve the purchase of six waste refuse-collection trucks at the cost of $2.7 million.
The city’s interest in an electric version of waste refuse collection trucks is part of its campaign to reduce carbon emissions. According to Burney, the city staff performed a fleet electrification study for waste resources collection trucks early this year.
"We found that electric vehicle technology is not yet available and is insufficient for this kind of heavy-duty waste vehicle at this point. That technology is expected to improve over time," Burney told the councilmembers.
However, Burney said they would continue monitoring the progress in the technology. "We will continue to actively monitor when it's feasible to shift to electric vehicles. We will definitely do so."
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Claire
EVs are not going to happen anytime soon. Maybe fleets in 30+ years, despite what Insleez wants. What WA needs is a new governor. Let's make that happen!
Friday, June 10, 2022 Report this
JulesJames
The hydrolic lifting requirements could make garbage trucks one of the last class of vehicles to electrify.
Saturday, June 11, 2022 Report this
waltjorgensen
Well, of course I looked up "electric garbage trucks." I've only followed up on a couple of articles and I haven't vetted any of them, but, as a first impression, it doesn't look like electric garbage trucks are just science fiction for the future. And why should they be?
One article claims, "They could quietly cruise down streets in Manhattan, the Bronx, and other boroughs by 2023." https://www.popsci.com/technology/nyc-sanitation-acquires-mack-electric-garbage-trucks/
Rocky DiRico, a deputy commissioner with New York City’s Department of Sanitation (DSNY) says the bigger concern on his mind is the infrastructure required to charge these big machines. “The fact of the matter is, I don’t think the truck is going to be the issue—I think the truck is perfect,” DiRico reflects. “The infrastructure—the voltage and the amperage required to charge them in large quantities in my districts—that’s going to be a heavy load for the utilities, and I’m more concerned about that than I am about the ability of the truck to do the job.”
With that in mind, I wonder about the option of introducing one electric rig into the Olympia fleet of refuse haulers to give it a try-on and hanging onto most of the petroleum burners until they start to give out. And there's always leasing. Turning away from the opportunity to "go electric" here seems unnecessarily shortsighted.
Walter R. Jorgensen
823 North St SE
Tumwater, WA 98501-3526
waltjorgensen@comcast.net
360-819-0678 (cell)
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Saturday, June 11, 2022 Report this