Emterra Launches a Fleet of Mack LR Electric Trucks

Emterra Environmental, one of Canada’s leading recycling and waste-to-resource companies, is proud to announce the launch of its first fully electric vehicle (EV) fleet for recyclables, waste, and organics collection in British Columbia. The EV fleet, consisting of eight Mack LR Electric trucks, will be the largest fleet of its kind in North America and will service the Comox Valley on Vancouver Island.

“Our commitment to environmental sustainability and climate action is not a choice. It’s a necessity,” says Emmie Leung, Founder and CEO of Emterra Group. “We are thrilled to lead the charge in deploying electrified transportation technology in British Columbia. This is a monumental moment for Emterra Environmental and for the waste management industry in Canada.”

With this fleet of Mack LR Electric trucks, Emterra Environmental is adding to its decades-long record of being an early adopter of the latest low-carbon technologies that support a circular economy. Emterra’s proactive approach in finding customers who share their vision for expediting green technology adoption and building cleaner communities led them to present the opportunity to the City of Courtenay and Town of Comox as part of their multi-year contracts for residential curbside collection of recyclables, waste and organics. This significant investment aims to reduce the carbon footprint of Emterra’s operations, reduce the scope 3 emissions of the City of Courtenay and the Town of Comox, and provide residents with cleaner, quieter collection services.

Launching an electric fleet of heavy-duty trucks supports the objectives of the CleanBC Program, which aims to reduce climate-changing emissions by 40% by 2030. Transportation accounts for about 40% of annual greenhouse gas emissions in British Columbia, making Emterra Environmental’s transition to an EV fleet a timely initiative to assist the City of Courtenay and Town of Comox in achieving their net-zero goals for GHG emissions. The fleet of EV trucks will help reduce emissions by approximately 480 tonnes of CO2e each year – the equivalent of taking 104 cars off the road for a year.

“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, Minister of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation. “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.”

The EV trucks, manufactured by Mack Trucks, are specially designed for waste collection and offer several advantages over diesel trucks, such as zero emissions and lower noise levels. The LR Electric offers a standard 376 kWh total battery capacity for 42 percent more energy and increased range between vehicle charges. The truck provides a range of 113 km and can be fully charged in 90 minutes using a 150-kW charger, ensuring minimal downtime allowing it to efficiently cover residential collections. In addition, the two-stage regenerative braking system helps recapture energy from the hundreds of stops the vehicle makes each day with an increasing load.

“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.”

With support from BC Hydro, the charging station, located at Emterra’s material recovery facility in Cumberland, will be equipped with six EV chargers that will efficiently power up the trucks overnight. The charging station is connected to a power management system that optimizes energy consumption, reduces peak loads, and prevents overloading the facility’s power infrastructure.

Emterra Environmental’s EV fleet is expected to begin operations in August 2024, servicing approximately 25,000 households and businesses throughout the Comox Valley.

Source: Emterra