Volvo Construction Equipment and Mack Trucks, both Volvo Group companies, recently delivered an electric excavator and an electric refuse truck to Boca Raton, Florida-based Coastal Waste & Recycling, which has 25 locations in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina, and operates more than 700 vehicles.

Coastal is piloting a 23-ton Volvo EC230 Electric excavator at a materials recovery facility, where the company receives and sorts recyclable materials. The EC230 Electric is performing the same work as its equivalent diesel model, the EC220EL, feeding material into a sorting line.

The electric excavator not only produces zero emissions, but also offers significantly lower noise and vibration levels, as well as instant torque. The company estimates that the EC230 Electric will deliver a 60-70% reduction in running costs compared with the legacy machine, as well as greatly simplified maintenance.

The EC230 Electric has been in testing with other companies in North America over the past year, and is expected to be commercially available later in 2024.

Coastal Waste & Recycling also took delivery of a Mack LR Electric Class 8 refuse vehicle, which will operate in residential and commercial areas in southern Florida. The company worked with Mack to develop favorable routing for the electric truck.

The next-generation Mack LR Electric features 4 NMC battery packs with total capacity of 376 kWh. Twin electric motors produce 448 continuous horsepower and 4,051 lb-ft of peak torque. Onboard accessories, including an automated side loader, are powered through 12 V, 24 V and 600 V circuits. A two-stage regenerative braking system helps recapture energy from the hundreds of stops the vehicle makes each day with an increasing load.

The EC230 Electric and the Mack LR Electric will both be fast-charged with a mobile Heliox 50 kW charger provided by Volvo CE. Volvo CE and Mack experts consulted with Coastal Waste on charging to help identify the ideal solution.

Nextran Truck Centers in Fort Lauderdale will provide service and support for the vehicles.

“We are excited to add both pieces of equipment to our fleet,” said Brendon Pantano, CEO of Coastal Waste & Recycling. “As the first private hauler in Florida to invest in electric, we look forward to harnessing the strength of this strategic move.”

“The shift to off-road electrification, especially in heavy construction machines, can’t be accomplished by one single team or company,” said Scott Young, head of the North American region for Volvo CE. “We’re grateful for the chance to partner with customers and other Volvo Group companies to advance sustainability in a variety of industries.”

“Coastal Waste & Recycling has been a great partner and has always been interested in any new technology they can incorporate to drive efficiency and excellence throughout their operations,” said Martin Mattsson, director of Key Account Sales—Waste and Recycling, Volvo CE. “Testing this electric excavator directly against its conventional equivalent will teach us a lot.”

Source: Volvo Construction Equipment