BYD, an electric vehicle manufacturer, and Wayne Engineering, a manufacturer of chassis-mounted rear and side loaders, launched a new fully electric refuse truck.

According to Wayne, in addition to zero tailpipe emissions and greatly reduced noise pollution, the operating costs are substantially less due to savings from diesel fuel, fewer moving parts, and regenerative braking.

“This truck represents a new era in waste management, one of the last remaining sectors untouched by green energy and electrification,” BYD America President Stella Li said in a statement. “We’re proud to be working with Wayne Engineering on a refuse truck that will protect the environment while providing for a 58 percent reduction in operating costs per mile.”

This all-electric truck has a body that allows for improved visibility and operation on tight roads and alleyways. With 100 miles of range on a single charge, fleets can handle larger routes and distances between sites.

“We’ve been proud to design and manufacture innovative equipment for the waste management sector for half a century, and are thrilled to be a partner with BYD for this huge step into the future,” Wayne Engineering CEO Kevin Watje said in a statement. “Refuse trucks are a part of every community in the country, and these all-electric trucks will start making a difference right away.”

“Only 10 percent of refuse trucks use any alternative fuel at all, pumping our neighborhoods full of expensive and dangerous diesel fumes – or worse, PM2.5 from CNG engines. Many are particularly bad on greenhouse gas emissions and particulate matter, harming the health of those around them,” Li added. “This new 3.9 ton truck, which gets 100 miles of charge in just 2.5 hours, is the chance to finally make cleaning our neighborhoods a clean prospect in and of itself.” 

Wrightspeed and The Ratto Group unveiled The Route, a range-extended electric refuse truck, at a press conference in California earlier this month.

According to Watje, the difference between what Wayne is offering and what was unveiled earlier this month, Wayne’s application is 100 percent electric with no range extender engine. It is also available on brand new chassis from the factory instead of a retrofit kit installed on a used chassis.