Electrification of Refuse Haulers
Unlike the light duty segment, most medium and heavy-duty battery electric vehicles (BEVs) available today do not achieve cost parity with internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles over their service lives. There are several applications within the MD/HD segment, however, that are most likely to be suitable for electrification and the refuse hauler stands out as one of these. Early total cost of ownership (TCO) comparisons have found a narrower margin between traditional, diesel powered refuse haulers and electric haulers than many other heavy duty applications.
Since 2010, EV technologies have improved and battery manufacturing costs have fallen 89% to $132/kWh. This has resulted in the development of electric medium and heavy-duty vehicle (MD/HD) options with longer ranges and increased capabilities. These advancements mean that your internal combustion engine refuse haulers might just be ripe for analysis. The nature of solid waste collection involves a significant amount of braking, adding small amounts of energy to the battery through the use of the electric trucks regenerative braking system. Low speed, set routes with frequent stop and go drive cycles are a winning combination for electric haulers.
Today’s battery electric refuse haulers can cost 30%-50% more to procure than a traditional diesel-powered unit. This cost does not account for the installation of charging infrastructure which should be categorized as a long-term investment, like a traditional fuel island. Although the initial investment is higher than a conventionally powered vehicle, electric refuse haulers offer fleets the opportunity to reduce operational expenses through the reduction in vehicle down time, fuel spend and maintenance costs.
Electric Refuse Hauler Benefits as compared to traditional ICE propulsion system:
· Fuel spend reduction
· Increased accuracy in long term fuel budgeting
· Less maintenance
· Improved air quality
· Less vehicle down time
· Lower greenhouse gas emissions
· Resiliency through fuel diversification
While cost comparison is important, it is not the only factor to account for when electrifying vehicles in any fleet. Additional benefits of EVs, like reduced emissions, brake dust and noise, may be difficult to account for financially. Maintenance requirements and associated down time expenses are much easier to account for financially and are significantly reduced. Similarly, when paired with a strategic charging approach, an 80% reduction in fuel spend has been shown.
Refuse haulers have very specific and unique operational requirements which must be met before large scale electrification is feasible.
Like transit, police, and fire vehicles, solid waste collection is a “mission critical” function. Because of the incredibly important function that these vehicles facilitate, it is imperative to minimize possible impacts to daily operations by taking a data-driven, strategic approach to electrification. There are many online EV suitability calculators available. These basic vehicle comparison tools may provide fleets with a snapshot of possible applications suitable for electrification but the results are often misleading. They do not capture the variability in daily use patterns, temperature, charging station availability or other factors that must be accounted for when transitioning to an electric vehicle option. These granular data points are especially important to consider when electrifying specialized equipment like refuse haulers because of the application’s specific charging requirements. For example, If a vehicle is required to service a longer route once per week, it is possible that the battery capacity will not be sufficient to avoid the need for midday charging. Or if a vehicle operates in cold temperatures for part of the year, it may be required to stop to charge during a shift which will likely be so impractical that it will deem that vehicle unsuitable for electrification. These scenarios are very common yet are not captured through the use of average vehicle miles traveled, a typical data point used in basic suitability calculators. These calculators are not capable of providing fleets with the kind of accuracy required to successfully transition vehicles to electric. The most successful approach will include an analysis of energy required to complete each duty cycle and day to day operations. Granular, real world data is also required to accurately identify vehicle daily charging requirements and ideal charging station locations. Near term route selection will be dictated by current electric vehicle capability, access to charging and the time that it will take to achieve sufficient charge on a per session basis. To avoid any negative outcomes like deploying an electric vehicle in an application that may require charging mid shift, the collection and analysis of real-world operational data is critical to a successful fleet electrification effort.
Fleet managers will find that many operational needs and duty cycles can be met by an electric hauler. Typically, the more challenging aspect of the electrification process will be found on the infrastructure side of the equation. Pre-deployment planning is critical to a successful roll out and should include developing a fleet charging strategy. The fleet charging strategy will dictate the need for depot charging or a more dispersed station layout. In some instances, a combination of the two may better suit the operational needs of the fleet. Vehicle telemetry analysis will provide the type of real world information needed for the development of a comprehensive charging strategy and should be used to site and design installations.
While most light duty fleets depend on level 2 charging, heavy-duty refuse haulers require significantly more electricity which will necessitate the use of DCFC (Direct Current Fast Charging). In fact, these vehicles are equipped with battery capacities from 220 kWh to 450 kWh and many are designed to only accept DCFC. Because the amount of energy required per session will be significant, an integrated charge management system is imperative to reduce charging costs by minimizing charging during peak times when electricity is most expensive. Understanding the potential charging impact early in the planning stages is imperative.
Projected charging demand curve at Facility A at 10% fleet electrification (unmanaged)
Projected charging demand curve at Facility A at 50% fleet electrification (unmanaged)
Large scale infrastructure investments are expensive. The cost and complexity of this type of investment underscores the importance of taking a data driven approach to heavy-duty electrification.
Before an order is placed for any electric vehicle, it is critical to ensure that adequate charging will be installed prior to vehicle delivery. While this initial step is important for all vehicle classes, it is especially important for heavy duty applications due to the cost and complexity of the associated infrastructure. These types of installations may require several months or even years to complete, potentially leaving a fleet with an asset that is unable to be placed into service at the time of delivery.
Comparing general electrical demand data is not sufficient when determining EV suitability or charging requirements. To accurately predict energy consumption, charge times and charge session frequency, it is critical to apply energy modeling to actual daily driving over time and in a range of temperatures. By analyzing this granular level of data, it is possible to very accurately anticipate both upcoming and future electrical capacity requirements. The accuracy of this type of analysis provides organizations with the ability to plan for and make facilities ready for future EV deployments. By “future proofing” facilities, organizations avoid the expense of ongoing retrofits which will significantly increase total project costs over time. Municipalities that have adopted “EV Ready” building ordinances often cite a 75% reduction in project costs through “future proofing” facilities.
Once electric refuse haulers are purchased and integrated into daily operations, fleet managers should continue to refine their processes to maximize the benefits of electrification.
Each electrified route will provide valuable data and insight that can be used to inform future vehicle procurements and routes. If managed properly, organizations can count on these vehicles to reduce fuel and maintenance spend which will offset some of the higher upfront purchase price and initial infrastructure investment. The New York City Department of Sanitation, a fleet that has been piloting an electric refuse hauler for two years, has also reported a reduction in vehicle down time. The initial battery electric pilot unit has performed exceedingly well, often returning to the depot at a 50% state of charge. Because of the success of the pilot vehicle, the City approved the purchase of 7 additional electric haulers last year.
The City of Ocala, Florida estimates a maintenance savings of 75% compared to the Cities conventional hauler units. Add to this, a projected 78% reduction in fuel spend from their 5 electric units and the case for electrifying the Cities hauler fleet becomes even more compelling. With gas and diesel hitting record high prices this year, fleet managers, businesses and consumers across the country have become increasingly interested in electric transportation. To meet the demand, vehicle manufacturers are ramping up production capacity and are introducing new electric vehicle types. For any technology to gain acceptance and replace an existing one, it must be an improvement over the last. For the reasons detailed above, the electric refuse hauler is an improvement if it is placed into service in a data-driven, strategic way. Contact Sawatch Labs to find out more about optimizing your fleet.
-Jared Walker, Director of Fleet Optimization
