Electric Garbage Truck Hits Streets in Washington City

The garbage truck rolling through Issaquah, Washington looks ordinary, but it's making history as the first fully integrated electric refuse vehicle built from the ground up for tough daily collection work.

Recology, a waste management company, partnered with truck makers Heil and Autocar to create a collection vehicle that runs entirely on electricity. The truck combines Autocar's all-electric chassis with Heil's RevAMP electric automated side loader body, creating a system with no hydraulics needed during routes.

Issaquah earned recognition for its sustainability leadership through its LEED certification program. Adding this zero-emission truck supports the city's goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality for residents.

The truck wasn't easy to build. Autocar's Juan Higgs explained that decades of experience building heavy-duty vehicles went into creating an electric version that drivers could trust. The companies engineered the chassis and body together as one complete system, avoiding costly modifications and ensuring consistent performance.

The real test was making sure the electric truck could handle the demanding work of daily waste collection. Traditional concerns about electric vehicles losing range, payload capacity, or reliability had to be solved before fleets could make the switch.

The Ripple Effect

Recology now powers more than 90 percent of its collection fleet with renewable or alternative fuels across California, Oregon, and Washington. This single truck in Issaquah represents years of work transitioning an entire industry toward cleaner operations.

CEO Salvatore Coniglio emphasized that real-world testing matters most. The company wants to see how zero-emission technology performs on actual routes before expanding the program further.

The truck's design allows it to work with different power sources, meaning other waste management companies can adapt the technology to their existing operations. Heil's Tony Giles stressed that electrification only succeeds if trucks can perform their jobs without disrupting daily service or reducing productivity.

After completing training and commissioning phases, the truck will begin regular service picking up waste and recycling throughout Issaquah. Cleaner air, quieter streets, and proof that heavy-duty electric vehicles can handle tough jobs.