Wales’ first electric-powered recycling truck has joined Conwy County Borough Council’s fleet of vehicles.
The Council’s waste team took delivery of the Welsh government-funded vehicle on 1st June 2022, and it completed its first recycling round in Llandudno.
The truck, built by Romaquip, can travel up to 100 miles between charges based on 180kwh and is quieter than traditional diesel-powered vehicles. It is the 17th electric vehicle in the Council’s fleet, including electric grass cutters, vans and cars.
The forefront of electric technology
Cllr Geoff Stewart, Conwy County Borough Council’s cabinet member for Neighbourhood and the Environment, said: ‘We’re delighted to be at the forefront of using this new technology. As a Council, we’re committed to tackling climate change, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions from our fleet vehicles is a key part of achieving net-zero by 2030.’
Kerb-Sort
Matt Patanden from supplier Romaquip said: ‘This new fully electrified Kerb-Sort vehicle provides a complete solution which enables our customers to achieve their carbon goals without compromising their collection methods. Offering the service an uncompromised chassis with increased payloads and new kerb-sort variants (product lines), we are proud to be working in partnership with Conwy once again to help them become the first local authority in the world to run a fleet of electric recycling vehicles.’
Trailblazing
The deputy minister for Climate Change with responsibility for Transport, Lee Waters, commented: ‘We have worked with Conwy council to blaze a trail in being the first Council in the UK to operate a battery-powered recycling collection vehicle of this kind.
‘In accelerating our journey towards a circular economy, we are decarbonising the collection and recycling service by switching from fossil fuel-powered vehicles to ultra-low emission vehicles. These vehicles will play an important role in delivering on our commitment for public sector fleets to be net-zero by 2030.’
