New York City will begin testing a new fully electric garbage truck

September 27, 2020

New York City will begin testing a new fully electric garbage truck — see the Mack LR Electric

200923 Mack DSNY 3 — The Mack LR Electric.
Mack Trucks

New York City's Department of Sanitation (DSNY) will begin test trialing Mack Truck's electric garbage truck.
Mack Trucks, which is a part of the Volvo Group, will begin producing and delivering its LR Electric in 2021.
The eco-friendly refuse truck that's now being tested in Brooklyn is powered by two 167-kilowatt motors that provide 536 and 448 peak and continuous horsepower, respectively, and 4,051 pound-feet of torque.
The trials will test routes and the LR Electric's specs, including its range, cargo weight capabilities, and braking.
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New York City's Department of Sanitation will start test trialing Mack Truck's electric garbage truck, the LR Electric.

Mack Trucks, which is a part of the Volvo Group, is going to begin manufacturing its environmentally friendly refuse vehicles in Pennsylvania next year. But as of now, the DSNY has already received a model for its trial run in Brooklyn, according to its maker.

The start of LR Electric's service in New York comes just two years after a prototype of the vehicle was first unveiled in 2018.

According to Mack Trucks, the DSNY operates over 6,000 vehicles, most of which are made by the truck maker. However, the LR Electric will be the department's first fully electric garbage truck, according to a statement by Mack senior vice president of North American sales and commercial operations Jonathan Randall.

Like any other electric vehicle, the zero emissions garbage truck is quiet, which means it can be used at night in densely populated areas like New York City without causing a disturbance.

"Electric trucks will be a key component to helping New York City meet its ambitious goal of reducing GHG emissions by 80% by the year 2035," Rocco DiRico, deputy commissioner for support services at the New York City Department of Sanitation, said in a statement.

200923 Mack DSNY 2 — DSNY Deputy Commissioner Rocco DiRico plugging in the Mack LR Electric.
Mack Trucks

The Brooklyn trials will test collection routes and the truck's specs, such as range, cargo weight capabilities, and braking, to name a few examples.

200916 Mack LR Electric — The Mack LR Electric.
Mack Trucks

DSNY's version of the LR Electric is powered by two 167-kilowatt motors that provide 536 and 448 peak and continuous horsepower, respectively, and 4,051 pound-feet of torque.

200923 Mack DSNY 1 — New York City’s Department of Sanitation officials with a Mack Trucks national account manager and Vasso Waste Systems' president Tony Vasso in front of the Mack LR Electric.
Mack Trucks

Mack's electric refuse vehicle is powered by its four lithium-ion batteries and comes equipped with a "three-mode regenerative braking system" that helps the vehicle save energy while it's at work.

Mack LR Electric 5 — The Mack LR Electric.
Mack Trucks

The LR Electric also has Mack's two-speed powershift transmission and rear axles ...

Mack LR Electric 1 — The Mack LR Electric.
Mack Trucks

... as well as a cute surprise: a small copper bulldog statue, which symbolizes the vehicle's electrification, that's set on the front of the truck.

Mack LR Electric 6 — The Mack LR Electric.
Mack Trucks

Parts of the vehicle are customizable. For example, it can be used with equipment from other makers, and customers can pick between different driving, seating, and door options and configurations.