Canada's Emterra Environmental is the latest waste management company to introduce Mack Trucks' new LR Electric refuse vehicle into its fleet. A total of eight vehicles were purchased and have entered service in the Comox Valley on Vancouver Island, making it the largest order to date for the Mack LR Electric in North America.
As one of Canada's largest integrated waste to resource management companies, Emterra Environmental already has another Mack LR Electric, delivered last October, operating in Ontario's Peel Region.
“We are excited that Emterra Environmental and the City of Courtenay and Town of Comox chose the Mack LR Electric refuse vehicle to help them accomplish their goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHG),” said Jonathan Randall, president of Mack Trucks North America. “This investment by Emterra signifies that refuse companies and municipalities recognize the importance of sustainability and trust that Mack Trucks can help them reduce their environmental footprint with a reliable, durable and quiet truck.”
The Mack LR Electric comes standard with a 376 kWh battery and twin electric motors that produce a combined 448 horsepower and 4,051 lb-ft of instant torque. Four lithium-ion batteries power all onboard systems while a regenerative braking system works to recapture energy from the vehicles' hundreds of daily stops.
The decision to purchase the Mack LR Electric fleet was motivated by the local CleanBC Program whose goal is to reduce C02 emissions by 40% by 2030. Transportation accounts for roughly 40% of the annual GHG emissions in British Columbia.
[Related: Mack LR Electric is Maine's first electric garbage truck]
“The launch of our fully electric fleet in Comox Valley builds on our circular economy legacy,” said Emmie Leung, founder and CEO, Emterra Group. “We introduced the first successful municipal curbside recycling program in British Columbia in the early 1980’s, and now we are introducing the first entirely zero emissions collection fleet in Canada. We are committed to leading the way through entrepreneurship, innovation and sustainability.”
Utilizing new technologies is nothing new for Emterra thanks to its decades-long tradition of being an early adopter of new low-carbon technologies. It has a history of seeking municipal partners who have a common interest in reducing carbon emissions, hence it approached the City of Courtenay and the Town of Comox with the proposal of adding the Mack LR Electrics as part of its multi-year contract for residential curbside collection.
“I’m thrilled to see Emterra Environmental take this significant step towards a greener future with the launch of the largest fleet of Mack LR Electric trucks in North America,” said Josie Osborne, . “This initiative aligns with our CleanBC goals, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and demonstrating the tangible benefits of adopting clean technology with thousands of households and businesses throughout the Comox Valley enjoying quieter, more efficient waste collection services."
Emterra says that the new Mack LR Electric fleet will begin operations in August and will service about 25,000 households and businesses.
