The Town of Cary, North Carolina, recently ordered a Mack®-LR Electric Class 8 refuse vehicle to reaffirm its commitment to sustainability and its citizens. The Mack LR Electric will provide the community with reduced emissions, maintenance and fuel costs and is expected to be in full operation in the fall of 2023. This order makes Cary the first municipality in North Carolina to order a Mack LR Electric refuse vehicle.
“Mack congratulates the Town of Cary on their pursuit of sustainable operations and is proud that they have chosen to purchase and deploy a Mack LR Electric to help achieve their goals,” said Jonathan Randall, Mack Trucks senior vice president of sales and commercial operations. “We look forward to continuing our commitment to developing sustainable transportation solutions with Cary and our other customers, as well as helping them fulfill their environmental goals.”
Cary, population 180,000, chose the Mack LR Electric as the first battery-electric vehicle (BEV) in its refuse fleet in recognition of Mack’s proven history of producing refuse vehicles to meet the specific demands and requirements of customers. Mack’s experience with the diesel-powered LR helped ensure that the LR Electric would be successful, town executives said.
“The Mack LR Electric truck is our latest step toward creating a sustainable and resilient Cary,” said Danna Widmar, assistant town manager. “Cary prioritizes managing, preserving and enhancing our natural environment to support a high quality of life, so we’re looking forward to seeing how this addition to our electric fleet contributes to our emissions reduction objectives.”
Launched in March 2022, the next generation Mack LR Electric offers a standard 376 kWh total battery capacity for 42 percent more energy and increased range between vehicle charges. Twin electric motors produce 448 continuous horsepower and 4,051 lb.-ft. of peak torque output from zero RPM. Four NMC (Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide) lithium-ion batteries, charged through a 150 kW, SAE J1772-compliant charging system, power the vehicle and all onboard accessories through 12V, 24V and 600V circuits. The two-stage regenerative braking system helps recapture energy from the hundreds of stops the vehicle makes each day with an increasing load.
Featuring a copper-colored Bulldog on the cab of the LR Electric to signify the all-electric powertrain, the LR Electric offers the same driver- and passenger-side configurations, as well as seat and door options, as those that are available on the diesel-powered Mack LR model. The LR Electric can be fitted with bodies from various manufacturers to meet each customer’s unique set of needs.
Cary’s LR Electric vehicle will be equipped with an automated side-loader and will operate in residential areas. Cary currently services about 54,000 customers, a mix of residents and businesses. To help simplify the purchase process and help customers better manage expenses associated with acquiring the Mack LR Electric model, Mack recently launched its all-inclusive Vehicle-as-a-Service (VaaS). VaaS includes the vehicle chassis, the refuse body, applicable taxes and a comprehensive vehicle protection plan, the Mack Ultra Service Agreement, for the Mack LR Electric model.
The Mack Ultra Service Agreement, a comprehensive uptime package that is standard on all Mack LR Electric models, includes scheduled maintenance, preventative maintenance, towing and repair, a battery monitoring service and Mack’s connected uptime services in one package. It can be included with monthly truck payments for customers in the U.S. and Canada through Mack Financial Services (MFS). Mack also provides access to strategic supplier partnerships, investigating available funding opportunities and making key charging infrastructure recommendations to support their short- and long-term EV needs.
Cary is currently developing specific emissions reduction and green-fleet action plans to reduce emissions 100 percent by 2040. This will be accomplished by transitioning individual vehicle types upon annual capital fulfillment with the best available technologies. Cary adheres to a Fleet Efficiency Standard Procedure that outlines its commitment to right-sizing vehicles, full fleet utilization, efficient driving habits, route planning, maintenance and measurements of key metrics like fuel use, fuel cost, emissions, maintenance cost, fleet size and miles driven.