The report, ‘Ditching Diesel – A Cost-Benefit Analysis of Electric Refuse Collection Vehicles’, says changing the UK’s fleet to eRCVs could reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 290,000 tonnes of CO2 per year – the equivalent of recycling 16 million plastic bottles.
As well as reducing GHG emissions, the report points out that deploying eRCVs would improve air quality with lower NOx and PM emissions, and their quiet operation would bring benefits to local communities and the collection operatives.
The cost-benefit analysis highlights that, although capital costs are higher for eRCVs and more charging infrastructure would be needed, the initial outlay should be offset by lower running costs and councils saving on expenditure to clean up the environmental damage caused by diesel vehicles.
It also points out that funding for cleaner vehicles is becoming available in many areas.
“Eliminating the huge amount of carbon released on a daily basis by diesel RCVs is a logical, and now financially viable, step,” says Tanguy Tomes, author of the report.
“We hope that our research will help local authorities to build a solid business case for the urgent change that is required: with a reduction in greenhouse gases, harmful air emissions and noise, and with financial savings becoming more likely, the case for eRCVs is becoming compelling.”
Click the link below to download a copy of the report.