It is said to be the the first Volvo FE Low Entry Cab eRCV to operate in the UK.
The vehicle has been wrapped in a green electric circuit design by Creative Vehicle Wrapping and is equipped with solar panels on the roof to support its power requirements.
The eRCV will be trialled by the council’s waste collector, Hills Waste Solutions, at operating depots and assigned to household waste collection rounds. These will initially start in largely urban rounds in the northern areas of the county including Calne and Chippenham.
The trial will later move onto semi-urban areas, follows by semi-rural and finally the mainly rural rounds.
Martin Litherland, head of service for waste management at Wiltshire council, said “We have invested in this 100% electric refuse collection vehicle to support our mission to reduce carbon emissions. The vehicle will be trialled around the county by our waste collection contractor, Hills, to help us understand the role that electric vehicles can play in delivering household waste collection services in Wiltshire.
“We are extremely happy with the wrapping service provided by Creative Vehicle Wrapping, with the finish complementing and enhancing our design, which highlights our commitment to sustainability and to be Carbon Neutral by 2030.”
Councillor Dominic Muns, cabinet member for waste and environment, added: “This is an exciting collaboration with Volvo Trucks, which has a wealth of experience in the electric vehicle market. The 100% electric RCV contributes to cleaner air as it does not produce exhaust gas. This trial brings us a step closer to achieving our mission to modernise the council’s waste collection fleet to low carbon vehicles and ultimately to reduce carbon emissions.
“This trial will establish what percentage of collection routes could realistically be achieved with an electric vehicle, fully testing the capabilities of eRCVs in Wiltshire. It will play a significant role in determining the future procurement of waste collection vehicles and how they can potentially be utilised across the county.
“We can’t wait to see it on the road soon throughout our communities across the county.”
