City officials in Portland, Maine, recently took delivery of a Mack LR Electric Class 8 model, the state’s first battery electric trash vehicle (BEV), during an event in the city. A combined Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Diesel Emissions Reduction Act and EPA Maine Department grant helped fund the purchase of the LR electric vehicle.
“The City of Portland’s decision to purchase the Mack LR Electric garbage truck to help achieve its sustainability goals speaks to the partnership approach that allowed Mack and the city to implement the necessary ecosystem of electric vehicle service and support,” Jonathan Randall, president of Mack Trucks North America said. “Mack is pleased to deliver the first electrified garbage vehicle to Maine.”
Portland has a goal to run on 100% clean energy by 2040, and the city is also interested in improving air quality and transitioning from diesel to electric vehicles to reduce emissions.
Portland’s Mack LR Electric is equipped with a Heil 25 cubic yard rear-loading body and will receive service and support at Portland-based O’Connor Motor Company.
The next generation Mack LR Electric offers a standard total battery capacity of 376 kWh for 42% more power and longer range between vehicle charges, Mack said. The twin electric motors produce 448 continuous horsepower and 4,051 lb-ft. maximum torque output from zero RPM.
Four NMC (nickel manganese cobalt oxide) lithium-ion batteries, charged via a 150 kW SAE J1772 compliant charging system, power the vehicle and all on-board accessories via 12V circuits, 24 V and 600 V. According to Mack, the two-stage regenerative braking system helps recover energy from the hundreds of stops the vehicle makes daily with increasing load.
Portland executives said they chose the Mack LR Electric model for multiple reasons, including the availability of local dealer support and the comprehensive Mack Ultra Service Maintenance Agreement offering. Mack said its Ultra Service Agreement offers Mack LR Electric customers an uptime package designed specifically for the technical needs of BEVs. It includes scheduled maintenance, preventative maintenance, towing and repair, a battery monitoring service and Mack Connected Uptime Services in one package that can be included with monthly truck payments.
The LR Electric and its batteries will be supported by Mack GuardDog Connect, Mack’s integrated telematics solution that helps customers achieve peak operating conditions and maximize uptime, the company said. The connected service monitors the health and performance of the battery and checks for fault codes and defects reported by the battery and the electrical components of the energy storage system.
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