Electric refuse trucks for Brighton and Hove City Council

Brighton and Hove City Council has taken on four new electric HGVs to support the city’s refuse and recycling service, and is also investing in electric vehicle charging facilities at Hollingdean depot.

A top-loading truck for glass recycling collections will be taking to the streets along with three refuse collection vehicles (RCV) that can be used for either refuse or recycling rounds. They join an electric side loading RCV for communal bins, which came into service last month.

The council has also just taken delivery of two more electric communal refuse vehicles to replace trucks that have reached the end of their lives. 

Two more electric RCVs are also on their way and will be used for refuse collections.

One electric RCV helps to save around £22,000 a year in fuel, the Council reports. Vehicle maintenance costs and downtime are expected to decrease by up to 75 per cent as the new RCVs are connected via SIM to the manufacturer, Terberg/Ros Roca, which can run diagnostics and repair remotely.  

Electric vehicles produce no emissions, with a single side-loading electric RCV expected to save around 2.6 tonnes of carbon emissions per year – equivalent to nearly seven return flights from Gatwick to Barcelona.

Councillor Tim Rowkins, cabinet member for Net Zero and Environmental Services, said: “These new electric vehicles are helping to improve service delivery for residents across Brighton & Hove and will contribute to cleaner air as they travel around the city.

“The new state of the art charging facilities are another game-changer, setting the service up for a positive future, saving money on fuel and making an important contribution to reducing emissions – approximately 640,000 tonnes a year – from the council’s fleet.”

Councillor Trevor Muten, Cabinet Member for Transport, Parking and Public Realm, said: “The new infrastructure and electric vehicles are an important part of our commitment to improving air quality and improving the health and wellbeing of residents.

“It’s part of our strategic approach for cleaner transport, for example plans for hundreds more EV charging points for residents and visitors and cheaper charging for EV vehicles. It also complements the recent successful bid with Brighton & Hove Buses for zero emissions buses.”

There are now over 70 electric vehicles in operation across the council, with another two coming in September.