Dive Brief:

• Motiv Power Systems has announced it will debut a new all-electric automated left-side loader collection truck in Sacramento, CA. This particular Class-8 vehicle will have a chassis by Crane Carrier and a body by Loadmaster. 
• The truck will include 10 battery packs — with room to expand up to 12 packs — to ensure it can cover the required mileage. The city estimates the truck could save up to 6,000 gallons of fuel per year. 
• Sacramento plans to use the vehicle for as many three collection routes per day (refuse, recyclables and organics) in a downtown neighborhood. 

Dive Insight:

This will be the second example of Motiv's All-Electric Powertrain in North America, a system which is built to handle weights of up to 60,000 pounds. Motiv previously contracted with Chicago to deliver its first electric refuse vehicle (ERV) to the city in 2014. The California-based company has also worked on electric delivery trucks, buses, shuttles and other vehicles.

California's policies on reducing vehicle emissions have helped make it an appealing marketplace for waste fleets to test out new models. Last fall, Wrightspeed debuted the first instance of its hybrid electric powertrain on a Ratto Group collection vehicle in the state. Multiple local private and municipal fleets have also made the shift to compressed natural gas. Chinese company BYD recently completed a four-month electric collection vehicle demonstration project in Los Angeles as well.

Questions about battery life and cost have kept electric vehicles from catching on in the industry as quickly as others, though BYD has already initiated a greater expansion in China. Once battery technology catches up to the demanding requirements of collection operations then electric vehicles could be an easy fit for cities or companies with emissions reduction goals.