A new model of the electric eCollect refuse collection vehicle has been launched by Dennis Eagle.
The company said it chose the 18 tonne 4x2 model as the next eCollect to meet urgent demand for a small zero-emissions refuse collection vehicle (RCV) suited to collection rounds in urban areas with restricted access.
The vehicle is the second configuration of the eRCV, originally launched in 2020.
The 4x2 eCollect is a smaller version of the original 6x2 but it has a 10m3 body capable of carrying 4.8 tonnes – the same as its diesel equivalent.
Like the 6x2, the vehicle has a narrow track chassis to provide ‘optimum manoeuvrability’, said Dennis Eagle.
Lee Rowland, sales and marketing manager at Dennis Eagle, said: “The new 4x2 eCollect is firmly based on the original 6x2. It’s a similar vehicle with a smaller footprint – very little has changed apart from size.
“But it is a very significant development for our customers. We chose the next eCollect model to be the 4x2 because many of the places a vehicle of this size will be used have air quality issues which are being treated as a priority by our customers.
“It is already clear we have another operationally-efficient and cost-effective eRCV in our range.”
The vehicle is fitted with three battery packs instead of five, with one centre pack and one pack on each side. Together they provide 180kWh of power - enough for a full day’s work on a typical double-shift round.
It has the same 200kW electric drive as the original eCollect and the model requires an off-board charger that outputs a minimum of 600v DC via CCS2 connection, as per the 6x2 variant.
The vehicle takes 3.5 hours to reach 100% after starting from around 15% residual charge.
The cab is also the same 5-star DVS rated Elite 6 model, with room for the driver and up to three crew.
The eRCV is factory-fitted with the DE-Connect telematics system and has been put through comprehensive testing and homologation, Dennis Eagle said.
The first 4x2 eCollect has been trialled in Kensington and Chelsea, where it returned to the depot after a double shift with typically 30-35% of its charge remaining.
Dennis Eagle said due to the nature of the rounds, the vehicle travelled around 35 miles - typical of urban rounds the 4x2 eCollect is used for.
Dennis Eagle said the new eCollect has proven to complete its rounds quicker than comparable diesel vehicles, due to the better acceleration it has from standstill.
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Jessica is event and digital content co-ordinator for all our events.
She was the web producer at Fleet News, Commercial Fleet and Smart Transport until April 2023.
She started her career as a content writer for a digital marketing agency that specialised in financial services, where she worked for more than two years.
Jessica was awarded the degree of Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Multimedia Journalism in 2017.
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