Class 8 Mack LR Electric Refuse Trucks Roll Off Assembly Lines

Long recognized as a leader in refuse trucks, Mack rolls out an all-electric heavy-duty vehicle in a bid to advance its market share.

The Class 8 Mack LR Electric refuse model went into serial production in 2021 from its Lehigh Valley Operations facility in Macungie, Pennsylvania. Its zero-emissions refuse and recycling collection model allows fleet operators to remain compliant with evolving government regulations. The Made in USA brand also helps avoid the volatile diesel prices negatively impacting commercial vehicle operators in North America.

“Mack Trucks, the market leader in the refuse industry, is also a leader in e-mobility, and this is another step forward in our ongoing electrification journey,” Mack Trucks senior vice president of sales and commercial operations Jonathan Randall reportedly said. “Customer feedback about the Mack LR Electric has been extremely positive, and we look forward to continuing to advance electrification to fulfill the needs of our customers.”

The LR Electric provides 42 percent more energy with a 376 kWh total battery capacity to deliver improved range. Reliably transporting materials over distances has been something of a sticking point with Class 8 rigs. Although 300- to 500-mile radiuses prove impractical for long-haul truckers, early Mack LR testing reportedly ran an 18-mile trash collection route through a suburban neighborhood in 2020.

Mack’s developers were focused on installing a battery that could complete an 8-hour work shift at the time. It now features twin electric motors and 448 continuous horsepower and 4,051 pound-per-foot peak output torque, two-speed Mack Powershift transmission, and S462R 46,000-pound rear axles.

But it’s the LR Electric’s propulsion system that has fleet operators interested. Mack employs four Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide lithium-ion batteries charged through a 150 kW, SAE J1772-compliant system. The four batteries power every onboard accessory, driven through 12V, 24V and 600V circuits. A two-stage regenerative braking system helps recapture energy from the hundreds of stops the vehicle makes each day with an increasing load.

Those specs, and the increasingly stringent emissions regulations being pushed by the EPA, have fleet operators champing at the bit. Eco-Cycle, a Colorado, refuse and recycling operation, recently ordered LR Electrics to begin replacing its fleet.

“Eco-Cycle is excited to partner with Mack and their global leadership in our transition to EV collection vehicles,” Suzanne Jones, executive director of Eco-Cycle, reportedly said. “Mack has developed not only a cutting-edge EV truck, but their depth of understanding of the challenges of innovation make them an exceptional collaborator. From the extensive testing of the LR Electric, to the collaboration with Bruckner’s, the local dealer, Mack has built a platform that we are certain will enable our collective success.”

Eco-Cycle reportedly plans to run collection routes totaling 15,000 miles annually with each Mack LR. The transition would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 2,500 tons over each vehicle’s lifetime.

Sources: prnewswire.com, fleetowner.com, whiparound.com