City of Santa Cruz, California, Purchases Mack LR^® Electric Vehicle to Help Meet Sustainability Goals

The City of Santa Cruz, California, recently purchased a Mack LR^® Electric refuse vehicle, the first fully electric vehicle in the municipality’s sanitation fleet, and plans to purchase another. Mack made the announcement during the Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo, May 9-12, at the Long Beach Convention Center.

The Mack LR Electric is Mack’s first fully electric Class 8 vehicle. The LR Electric is produced at the Mack Lehigh Valley Operations facility, Macungie, Pennsylvania, where all Mack Class 8 models for North America and export are assembled.

“We are pleased that the City of Santa Cruz chose the Mack LR Electric as the first electric vehicle in its fleet,” said Jonathan Randall, Mack Trucks senior vice president of sales and commercial operations. “Mack Trucks is committed to sustainable transportation solutions, and the LR Electric exemplifies this. The LR Electric is a zero-emissions truck and is also extremely quiet, allowing waste collection without disturbing residents and also reducing the environmental impact.”

The City of Santa Cruz currently is working on its Climate Action Plan 2030, which will be revealed to the public in June 2022 for review. The plan will outline sustainability goals for the City. In line with those goals, Santa Cruz staff decided to

purchase the Mack LR Electric refuse vehicle after investigating electric vehicles produced by several OEMs. After testing and verifying that the Mack LR Electric would be able to manage the rigors of waste collection, Santa Cruz staff purchased the vehicle and recently ordered one additional truck. Santa Cruz plans to begin operating the LR Electric truck in September on a route that is both residential and commercial.

“The City is committed to sustainability and green energy,” said Guadalupe Sanchez, superintendent of resource recovery for Disposal and Processing for the City of Santa Cruz. “The Mack LR Electric will help us reduce emissions, improving air quality, while also helping us move toward our environmental goals. Our confidence in the LR Electric was further elevated following a demonstration showcasing the vehicle’s performance.”

Santa Cruz, with a population of about 64,000, currently has about 25 heavy-duty refuse vehicles in its fleet, consisting primarily of Mack diesel models. Each refuse truck typically lifts 900 to 1,000 cans per day. TEC Equipment in Oakland, California will offer service and support for the City of Santa Cruz.

“TEC Equipment’s Oakland branch is excited to work with the City of Santa Cruz on the next step in electrifying its waste fleet,” said Ashley Porter, TEC Equipment new truck sales manager. “This process is the result of a strong partnership between TEC Equipment and the City of Santa Cruz and the understanding of the necessary requirements to achieve the common goal of electrification. We are honored that the City of Santa Cruz chose to partner with TEC Equipment and Mack Trucks.”

The next generation Mack LR Electric was launched in March 2022. It features 42 percent more energy and a standard 376 kWh total battery capacity for increased range. With twin electric motors, the LR Electric offers 448 continuous horsepower and 4,051 lb.-ft. of peak output torque from zero RPM. The LR Electric has a two-speed Mack Powershift transmission, Mack mRIDE^™ suspension and Mack’s proprietary S462R 46,000-pound rear axles.

The LR Electric is equipped with four NMC (Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide) lithium-ion batteries that are charged by a 150kW SAEJ1772-compliant charging system. The four batteries provide for vehicle propulsion and all power for each onboard accessory of the Mack LR Electric through 2V, 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.

The LR Electric is easily identifiable by a copper-colored Bulldog on the cab –  unique to the LR Electric model – signifying the electric drivetrain. The Mack LR Electric can be fitted with equipment bodies from numerous manufacturers based on the unique needs of the customer. The same driver/passenger side driving configurations, as well as seating choices and door options, are offered in the LR Electric as on the diesel-powered Mack LR model.