The University of Tennessee has put a new electric garbage truck into service on its Knoxville campus. The vehicle, a McNeilus Volterra ZFL, was built in Tennessee and is expected to reduce tailpipe emissions and diesel fuel use while offering quieter operation for early-morning collection routes near dorms, libraries, and lecture halls.
The truck is a Class 8 electric refuse vehicle with a 499 kWh battery pack, and an optional 665 kWh pack is available. McNeilus says the base configuration supports up to 110 miles of route capability over a 10-hour shift, which the university says is more than enough for daily recycling duty around campus.
Campus garbage and recycling routes are considered a near-ideal use case for electrification because they involve frequent stopping and starting, low speeds under heavy loads, and significant pedestrian traffic. McNeilus president Lee Dreas said the university is an example of how purpose-built electric collection vehicles can be integrated into demanding real-world operations. Brad Moats, the university's recycling supervisor, said the truck supports regional manufacturing while bringing advanced EV technology into daily campus operations, and that the school will measure its performance to help guide future fleet planning.