Mack electric waste trucks for New York

Mack Trucks is set to begin real-world testing of its LR refuse vehicle for the New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY).

It follows a demonstration run around a test course which simulated the real-world driving found in refuse applications.

“The Mack LR electric demonstrates Mack’s leadership in powertrain innovation, bringing clean, quiet propulsion to the refuse application, which is one of the toughest in heavy-duty trucking due to the harsh operating environments and number of starts and stops during a shift,” Mack North American sales and marketing vice president Jonathan Randall says.

“As we begin Mack’s 120th anniversary this year, we look forward to testing our latest powertrain innovation with DSNY as they put the LR Electric through a rigorous test.”

DSNY commissioner Kathryn Garcia says the department is “committed to finding ways to become even cleaner and greener”.

“Next to our workforce, our collection trucks are integral to allowing us to get our job done,” Garcia says.

DSNY will base the Mack LR electric demonstration model at its Brooklyn garage and test it on a local collection route.

Several vehicle performance metrics will be evaluated, including operating range, payload capacity, regenerative braking performance and the overall functionality of a fully electric refuse vehicle in the operation.

New York City has a goal to reduce 80% of greenhouse gas emissions by 2035.

“DSNY along with our more than 6000 vehicles will play a major role as we push toward that goal,” DSNY deputy commissioner Rocky DiRico says.

“We’re looking at all kinds of technologies to help us achieve that reduction. We’re especially proud to be the first Mack customer to test the LR electric model.”

DSNY collects more than 12,000 tons of refuse and recyclables each day, making it the world’s largest sanitation department.

The Mack LR electric features two 130-kW motors delivering a combined 496 horsepower and 5,492Nm of torque.

The truck features four NMC lithium-ion batteries (lithium, nickel, manganese, cobalt) that are charged via a 50kW, SAE J1772-compliant charging system.