Meet 'Usain Volt' and 'Electric Boogaloo', Peterborough's new electric bin lorries

Electric bin lorries have been added to Peterborough City Council’s (PCC) fleet for the first time – named Usain Volt and Electric Boogaloo.

The Renault lorries join existent diesel trucks such as ‘Bin Diesel’ and ‘Dame Vera Bin’.

PCC says that the new lorries, operated by its wholly-owned private limited company Aragon Direct Services, will cut carbon emissions by over 60 tonnes per year compared to the diesel vehicles.

They will initially be used for garden waste collection, it adds, and will later be trialled on other types of waste.

Other benefits of the electric lorries are that they’re quieter and can run for longer.

Ian Spence, part of Aragon, said that: “These new Renault Trucks E-Tech eRCVs are the first step to a greener fleet for Peterborough City Council, delivering for our residents almost silently with zero tailpipe emissions.

“As we transition to a decarbonised fleet, our vehicles need to keep up with the demands of our operation, and the increased capacity of the Renault Trucks 94kW batteries makes the difference.”

PCC, alongside the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA), is currently in the process of bidding for funding to bring electric buses to the city as well as a new depot.

The council has committed to achieving net zero within the organisation by 2030.