CCJ Daily Dispatch, Oct. 7: Mack hands over keys to first electric truck

Trucking news and briefs for Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2020: 

Republic Services to begin testing of first Mack electric units 

Mack Trucks on Tuesday handed over the keys to the first pre-production Mack LR Electric unit to refuse collection giant Republic Services, who is set to kick off in-service testing of the battery electric technology on residential recycling collection routes in Hickory, N.C.

Republic Services will evaluate the LR Electric for range, functionality and payload capacity and Mack expects to use the learnings from the trials to further refine the LR Electric as it prepares to open orders for the truck later this year, with production beginning in 2021.

Mack’s diesel-powered LR Model is a waste collection staple and the refuse industry as a whole represents a healthy market for Mack Trucks. Jonathan Randall, Mack’s senior vice president of North American sales and commercial operations, said the waste and recycling segment orders about 7,000 trucks per year, just more than half of which are cabovers.

Republic’s LR Electric features Heil’s Command-SST, an automated side loader refuse body optimized for electric collection trucks, but equipment bodies from various manufacturers will be available when the LR Electric enters production.

Mack Trucks Product Segmentation Project Manager Scott Barraclough noted that the Heil’s Command-SST body-mounted ASL arm is a unique feature that frees up frame rail space for batteries or other auxiliary components. He added that the upfit’s hydraulic system only draws power when needed, extending battery life.