Kenworth announced that King County in Washington state has ordered a zero emissions Kenworth T680E battery electric vehicle. King County is Washington’s most populous county with more than 2.7 million residents. The Kenworth T680E will operate in the county’s solid waste division, where it will be used to transfer refuse from King County’s Recycling and Transfer Station in Enumclaw to the Cedar Hills Regional Landfill in Maple Valley.
According to Pat McLaughlin, King County Solid Waste Division director, cities in King County were among the first in the U.S. to implement curbside recycling programs in the 1980s. When the Kenworth T680E is placed into service, it will become one of the first Class 8 zero emissions trucks to be used in waste management in North America.
“We’re committed to protecting the natural resources that define our region,” said McLaughlin. “Deploying the Kenworth T680E is one of the steps we’re taking that will help us cut our carbon footprint and reduce diesel emissions while supporting the region’s need for responsible waste management.”
In 2020, King County announced its Strategic Climate Action Plan that sets goals directed at cutting greenhouse emissions in half by the end of the decade. To help accomplish this goal, King County plans to continue to add zero emissions vehicles to its fleet. “As a company headquartered within King County’s jurisdiction, we take pride in the county’s decision to add our Class 8 battery electric truck,” said Jim Walenczak, Kenworth assistant general manager for sales and marketing. “We’re committed to manufacturing vehicles that are better for the environment and look forward to seeing King County’s T680E operating in our local community.”
The Kenworth T680E was ordered through Papé Kenworth Northwest – SeaTac and represents the first Kenworth battery electric vehicle order in Washington state. “This King County order for the zero emissions T680E marks a significant milestone as our customers begin to seriously explore the environmental benefits of Kenworth electric vehicles,” said Mitch Hatfield, general manager of Papé Kenworth Northwest.