Skip to main content

Magtec provides electric motor for Greenwich bin lorry trial

UK technology firm Magtec has installed an electric motor into a refuse collection vehicle in a bid to improve air quality in the borough of Greenwich. The upgrade is expected to extend the vehicle’s life by 14 years and save up to £300,000 compared to a Euro 5 or diesel model. Greenwich council’s prototype electric refuse collection vehicle (eRCV) is now being trialled alongside its fleet to make a case for repowering heavy commercial vehicles.
June 29, 2018 Read time: 1 min
UK technology firm Magtec has installed an electric motor into a refuse collection vehicle in a bid to improve air quality in the borough of Greenwich. The upgrade is expected to extend the vehicle’s life by 14 years and save up to £300,000 compared to a Euro 5 or diesel model.


Greenwich council’s prototype electric refuse collection vehicle (eRCV) is now being trialled alongside its fleet to make a case for repowering heavy commercial vehicles.

The eRCV is a 26-tonne battery-powered vehicle that is intended to operate on a 14-hour shift without needing to recharge.

These partners are part of a consortium which also includes urban innovation agency DG Cities and Innovate UK.

Simon Buckley, Magtec’s programme director, says the repowered heavy goods vehicle will also help remove noise pollution.

Related Content

  • Norwegian study finds electric cars 'pose environmental threat'
    October 5, 2012
    According to a study by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, electric cars might pollute much more than petrol or diesel-powered cars. Researchers found greenhouse gas emissions rose dramatically if coal was used to produce the electricity. Electric car factories also emitted more toxic waste than conventional car factories, claims their report in the Journal of Industrial Energy. However, in some cases electric cars still made sense, the researchers said.
  • UK government to fund carbon-cutting truck trials
    April 25, 2012
    Truck operators have been invited to apply for a slice of US$15.34 million provided for industry trials of carbon-cutting trucks by the UK Department for Transport and the Technology Strategy Board. A competition opened yesterday for applications under the ‘Low carbon truck demonstration trial’ which will deliver fleets of low-emission heavy goods vehicles as well as supporting infrastructure such as fuelling stations and electric recharging hubs.
  • UK local roads decarbonisation programme gets £4.5m
    September 19, 2023
    UK Department for Transport and Adept have allocated cash for Centre of Excellence
  • Refurbishing ageing VMS with new technology
    January 26, 2012
    Virginia DoT faced a challenge common to many highway authorities around the world: the need, in economically challenging times, to replace ageing variable message signs reaching the end of their operational life. For some 25 years now, since the mid 80s, Virginia Department of Transportation (VDoT), has deployed variable message signs (VMS) as part of its motorist information systems. Throughout the state there are still many old 'flip-disk' signs. Some of the companies that provided these electronic messa