Recology tests first FCEV refuse vehicle in North America

Waste management company Recology has begun testing of North America’s first hydrogen fuel cell-powered electric refuse collection vehicle in San Francisco, Calif., hydrogen fuel cell technology company Hyzon said. The truck was developed via a partnership between Hyzon and New Way Trucks, a refuse truck body manufacturer. According to Hyzon, the trial aims to confirm that zero-emission vehicles have the power and range required to complete collection routes and transport heavy loads.

Recology will be the first waste and recycling company to pilot this hydrogen fuel cell-powered electric refuse vehicle in the U.S., Hyzon said, and San Francisco will be the first city in North America to test it on city streets.

“Addressing climate change and air pollution, regionally and nationally, requires us to look at the vehicles we rely on every day to provide essential services to our communities,” said Tyrone Jue, director of the San Francisco Environment Department. “Recology has long partnered with the city to protect our environment by pioneering how we reduce waste. Now I’m excited to see how Recology is also helping us meet our aggressive greenhouse reduction goals through cleaner vehicles.”

Eric Evans, chief product officer for New Way, said that with “more than 140,000 refuse trucks operating across the market today, waste collection presents an ideal application to showcase the viability of hydrogen fuel cell technology across the environmental services industry.”

Don Ross, chief sales officer at New Way, said, “This hydrogen-powered refuse collection vehicle is being designed to best meet the needs of waste haulers who are championing alternative, sustainable solutions, and there is no better place to start these trials than in the San Francisco Bay Area with Recology, a company well-known for its sustainability initiatives.”

After piloting the truck in San Francisco, Recology will test it in other Bay Area cities, Hyzon said. New Way and Hyzon have scheduled additional trials throughout California later this year, to be followed by more trials in Canada.

To further prove hydrogen fuel cells as a more sustainable option in the refuse industry, Hyzon said it launched its Class 8 200kW FCEV tractor-trailer trial program in July, which Recology also plans to trial.

According to Hyzon, the company’s hydrogen fuel cell systems have been shown to provide consistent power over an expected range of at least 125 miles, including at least 1,200 cart lifts, along with trips to transfer stations.