Fully electric bin lorry for Glasgow

Glasgow is driving ahead with its effort to create a zero emissions fleet of vehicles with the council taking delivery of a fully electric bin lorry.

The lorry can support up to 1,600 daily household bin collections and with the potential to remove between 20 and 25 tonnes of waste each day.  One of the first electric bin lorries in Scotland, it will operate on a zero emissions basis. The vehicle can run on a single daily charge and it is expected the energy required for a daily round will cost up to 70 per cent less than traditional fuel.

The arrival of the electric bin in Glasgow has powered up the council's strategy to create a fleet of zero emissions vehicles and plant equipment by the end of 2029. As part of the strategy, the council has already taken delivery of over 300 electric cars and small vans.

Anna Richardson, City Convener for Sustainability and Carbon Reduction, said: "This is a fantastic vehicle that shows that our zero-emissions fleet strategy goes hand in hand with investment in our cleansing service.

"Our zero-emissions fleet strategy is a vital part of the city's work to become carbon neutral by 2030 and has laid down a mark for other fleet operators to follow. The strategy was about sending a very strong statement to the market that Glasgow wanted to decarbonise its fleet of vehicles. With the arrival of our new electric bin lorry we have clear evidence the market is responding to Glasgow's demand for cleaner and greener heavy vehicles.

"The specifications of the vehicle indicate the electric version will match the performance of the diesel equivalent and we will be looking very closely at this in the coming months. But it will be cheaper to run and easier to maintain, which is good news for our cleansing service. The vehicle is also quieter than a traditional vehicle and that is a definite plus for the environment in local communities."