Mack LR BEV 2020: Electric garbage truck with almost 5,500 Nm

E there are now fairs for all kinds of things. Even for rubbish. The WasteExpo in New Orleans is about what we throw away - and of course, above all, how it can best be disposed of and recycled. Environmental protection is playing an increasingly important role in this area, and so it stands to reason that the American truck manufacturer Mack will present its new electric truck as a garbage truck at WasteExpo.

Electric: 5,492 Nm. Diesel: 2,115 Nm

The Mack LR BEV has two electric motors, the performance values ​​of which are not particularly impressive at first glance. Their continuous output is 260 kW (354 hp), with a peak of 370 kW (503 hp). In trucks, however, usable torque is more important than top performance, and here Mack mentions a number that makes one sit up and take notice: 5,492 Newton meters fall over the pitiful two-speed gearbox, which transfers the power to the two rear axles. For comparison: the in-line six-cylinder diesel of the standard model 'only' reaches up to 2,115 Newton meters despite its eleven liter displacement.

The four lithium-ion batteries can be charged with a maximum of 150 kilowatts. In addition, the Mack naturally feeds energy back into the batteries via recuperation, which should not have an impact on the range that should not be underestimated with the constant stop and go of a garbage truck. Unfortunately, the manufacturer has not yet given any further information on this or the capacity of the batteries. Although the batteries should weigh a lot, the Mack LR BEV has a payload of between 15.9 and 32.7 tons.

In use in New York City from 2020

Another advantage of the Electric drive: The Mack LR should be significantly quieter than its counterpart with a diesel engine. Whereby daily experience teaches: It is not necessarily the engine of a garbage truck that rudely wakes you up. This is mostly due to the clatter when emptying the garbage cans or the warning tone when reversing. Perhaps solutions to these problems were presented at WasteExpo.

How loud or quiet the Mack LR BEV actually is as a garbage truck will have to be proven in everyday tests from 2020. And not just anywhere, but in New York City. There 10,000 garbage collectors remove over 12,000 tons of waste every day. Those who convince there should be able to compete with garbage anywhere in the world.