Portland, Maine, officials today took delivery of a Class 8 Mack LR Electric model during an event on June 17. The Mack electric refuse truck is the Pine Tree State’s first refuse battery-electric vehicle (BEV).

“The City of Portland’s choice to purchase the Mack LR Electric refuse truck to help meet its sustainability goals speaks to the partnership approach that allowed Mack and the city to implement the needed ecosystem of service and support for electric vehicles,” said Jonathan Randall, president of Mack Trucks North America. “Mack is excited to deliver the first electrified refuse vehicle to Maine.”

“This is a significant step forward in electrifying the City’s vehicle fleet,” said City Manager Danielle West. “It represents a bold leap forward in sustainable transportation, offering an electric solution that significantly reduces carbon emissions and environmental impact.”

Federal and State Grants

A combined grant from the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Diesel Emissions Reduction Act and the Maine Department of EPA helped fund the purchase of the LR Electric vehicle.

Portland has a goal to run on 100% clean energy by 2040, and vehicle electrification will play a big part in achieving that goal. The city is also interested in improving air quality and transitioning from diesel to electric vehicles to reduce emissions.

Portland’s Mack LR Electric is equipped with a Heil 25 cubic-yard rear loader body, and it will be serviced and supported at O’Connor Motor Company based in Portland.

“Our familiarity with Mack through our previous vehicle purchases, along with our relationship with O’Connor makes this a great fit for the city of Portland,” said Mike Murray, director of Public Works for the City of Portland. “This is the first electric Class 8 vehicle in Portland’s fleet.”

Local Dealer Support is Key

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 truck’s two-stage regenerative braking system helps recapture energy from the hundreds of stops the vehicle makes each day with an increasing load.

Portland executives said they chose the Mack LR Electric model for multiple reasons. These include the availability of local dealer support and the Mack Ultra Service Maintenance Agreement offering.

The Mack Ultra Service Agreement gives LR Electric customers an uptime package tailored specifically for the technical needs of BEVs.

It includes scheduled maintenance, preventative maintenance, towing and repair, a battery monitoring service and Mack’s connected uptime services in one package that can be included with monthly truck payments.

The LR Electric and its batteries will be supported by Mack GuardDog Connect. This is Mack’s integrated telematics solution that helps customers achieve peak operating conditions and maximize uptime.

The connected service monitors battery health and performance and checks for fault codes and defects reported by the battery and electric components of the energy storage system.