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In an era marked by the urgent need to combat climate change and to transition from fossil fuel powered vehicles to renewable energy sources and sustainable transportation options, electric vehicles (EVs) have emerged as a promising solution. Electric vehicles offer an emissions-free alternative to internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles and help reduce dependence on fossil fuel. By eliminating vehicle emissions during use, EV’s can help improve local air quality and contribute to reduced vehicle noise.
While there have been widely publicized advancements in EV passenger vehicles, developing EV solutions for heavy duty vehicles such as refuse collection vehicles has been less obvious. These workhorses of daily life are out on our streets every morning doing a job that is critically important to our communities.
McNeilus – an industry leader in refuse truck bodies, OEM parts and customer support and service – recently announced that its Volterra™ ZSL™ electric refuse collection vehicle (eRCV) has earned three certifications from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and California Air Resources Board (CARB).
The McNeilus® Volterra™ ZSL™ product is North America’s first fully integrated, Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) for refuse collection. This electric refuse collection vehicle is built from the ground up by McNeilus and parent company Oshkosh Corporation, bringing together Oshkosh’s experience in severe duty vehicle innovation and McNeilus expertise in refuse collection bodies. It was skillfully engineered with technologies and design features covered by more than 50 patents and patent applications. Now this product adds the EPA Heavy Duty Greenhouse Gas Certificate of Conformity, CARB Heavy Duty Greenhouse Gas Executive Order, and CARB Zero Emissions Powertrain Executive Order to its list of advantages.
McNeilus and Oshkosh see EVs and electric-powered equipment as playing a critical role in efforts to move to a more sustainable future. They have been developing electrification solutions for more than 25 years and are driven to minimize environmental impact and maximize performance.
The McNeilus Volterra ZSL product takes this industry leading knowledge to the next level. Achieving EPA and CARB certifications with this purpose built, fully integrated, zero emissions RCV is confirmation of the company’s vision to build a world-class electric refuse collection vehicle.
“The EPA and CARB certifications mark a major milestone in the development of the McNeilus Volterra ZSL refuse vehicle because they provide objective third party evaluations of its design, and carbon zero-emission capabilities,” said Lee Dreas, vice president and general manager, McNeilus Truck and Manufacturing. “These certifications are the result of a rigorous review process to confirm we have met a very high standard in electric vehicle technology. With the certified zero-emission Volterra ZSL product, we’re also providing customers a solution to help achieve their sustainability goals and meet ZEV requirements for fleets.”
The EPA certificate signifies the Volterra ZSL electric refuse vehicle conforms with Phase 2 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards and Fuel Efficiency Standards for Medium and Heavy Duty Engines and Vehicles. In addition, CARB approvals provide written documentation of compliance with CARB regulations pertaining to greenhouse gas emissions and zero-emission for heavy duty powertrains.
Quality Assurance of EPA and CARB Certified Vehicles
The CARB and EPA certifications provide buyers with additional assurance on the vehicle’s performance and adherence to environmental standards. The stringent evaluation processes ensure that the McNeilus Volterra ZSL refuse collection vehicle meets the following criteria:
Low Greenhouse Gas Emissions:
CARB and EPA certifications demonstrate that the McNeilus Volterra ZSL refuse collection vehicle eliminates carbon dioxide emissions. This helps contribute to governmental agencies and McNeilus customers reaching their sustainability goals.
Enhanced Efficiency:
The rigorous testing performed by our expert engineers helps ensure the McNeilus Volterra ZSL refuse collection vehicle optimizes energy consumption. This is accomplished through high energy efficiency and long battery range per charge, allowing it to complete a full daily route on a single charge.
Advanced Battery Technology:
The McNeilus Volterra ZSL refuse vehicle’s advanced battery technology enables long battery life, fast charging times and optimal overall performance. The unique and exclusive battery management system is also purposely designed and optimized for refuse collection, which is one of the primary advantages of this fully integrated electric RCV.
Compliance of the Highest Environmental and Quality Standards:
CARB and EPA certifications mandate compliance with the most stringent emissions and efficiency standards in each classification. Earning these certifications verifies the McNeilus Volterra ZSL product complies with stringent environmental standards and regulations for heavy duty vehicles.
Developed and designed with the severe-duty expertise of McNeilus and Oshkosh, the Volterra ZSL refuse collection vehicle is the result of continuous innovation and improvement of electrification technology for heavy duty vehicles purpose-built to do specific jobs. And the Volterra ZSL product is designed specifically for optimal electric power and outstanding refuse collection performance.”
Benefits to Vehicle Buyers
Cost Management:
CARB recently announced the Advanced Clean Fleets rule, which says refuse vehicle fleets across the state of California must transition to zero emissions by 2040. To support fleet owners with this change, the state offers a variety of purchase incentive programs such as the Hybrid and Zero Emissions Voucher Incentive Project (HVIP). By receiving these CARB certifications, the Volterra ZSL refuse vehicle is eligible for purchase vouchers in state incentive programs such as the New Jersey Zero-Emission Inventive Program (NJ ZIP) or California’s Hybrid and Zero-Emissions Voucher Inventive Project (HVIP). When listed in the California HVIP catalog, for example, the Volterra ZSL may become eligible for purchase vouchers up to $120,000 per truck.
California certification also creates another area of cost management for trucking companies and haulers operating in California. Penalties and settlements for non-compliance can add greatly to the cost of doing business, adding up to hundreds of thousands of dollars in fees.
Total Cost of Ownership:
Simplified maintenance and parts inventory, operational efficiency and extended service life with the Volterra ZSL RCV all help contribute to improving total cost of ownership by up to an estimated 14%. Other key contributing factors include connected, intelligent telematics providing condition-based and predictive maintenance, tire pressure monitoring system and cooperative regenerative braking. The comparative TCO advantages may become even greater with future price increases with fossil fuels.
Long-Term Investment:
With warranties on battery life and mechanical performance, along with the assurance of regulatory compliance and certified zero-emissions status, those who purchase the McNeilus Volterra ZSL product can be confident they have invested in a vehicle built and tested for tough refuse collection environments.
This purpose-built electric RCV incorporates advanced technology and innovative design to deliver game-changing solutions in driver comfort and safety, total cost of ownership, productivity, serviceability, and sustainability. This product meets or exceeds clean energy mandates and the battery management system is optimized for refuse collection, enabling all-day route collection on a single charge. Other features include a revolutionary e-axle architecture with a B10-rating of 300,000 miles, plus cooperative regenerative braking and battery preconditioning for outstanding range and compaction.
The McNeilus Volterra ZSL, a fully integrated zero-emission electric refuse collection vehicle, is being produced in a new, state-of-the-art facility in Murfreesboro, Tenn., with the compaction assemblies manufactured at McNeilus headquarters in Minnesota. To learn more about this new product category, go to https://integratedrefusecollector.com/.
More About CARB and EPA Certifications
California Air Resources Board (CARB) Certification:
The CARB Heavy Duty Greenhouse Gas Executive Order and CARB Zero Emissions Powertrain Executive Order are the world’s most stringent standards promoting the reduction of air pollution and the use of clean technology.
The application process includes a calculation of avoided CO2 emissions by using battery powered EV instead of diesel engines, a comprehensive review of the battery system, regenerative braking system, and thermal management systems. CARB certification also requires a review of maintenance instructions to ensure vehicles are maintained in the field.
Having demonstrated compliance with California’s nation-leading emissions standard for greenhouse gases and its zero-emission vehicle requirements through extensive testing, the McNeilus® Volterra™ ZSL eRCV brings customers a product solution providing compliance with California’s emissions policy.
The CARB certifications also satisfy the zero-emissions vehicle reporting requirements necessary for compliance with the Advanced Clean Truck regulations now in effect in eight states.
United States Environmental Protection Agency Certifications:
EPA certifications require manufactures to submit detailed emission test results and technical data to verify compliance with federal regulations. The EPA certification process assesses not only exhaust emissions, but also overall vehicle efficiency.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration jointly set the standards and procedures to ensure that only those vehicles that comply with their strict emissions and vehicle efficiency standards achieve certification.