Electric technology is becoming increasingly common all over the globe, with cities from New York all the way to Edinburgh investing in electric sweepers. Samsara (2020)conducted a survey that indicated 90% of fleet managers believed the full electrification of fleets was inevitable. So why is the idea of electric sweepers so popular and what does it mean for you? 

There are three main factors for operators to consider when moving to electric vehicles: reduced noise, ease of use, and lower impact on health and the environment.

Noise

Noise pollution is important not only for the surrounding environment but for the driver of a sweeper too. Sweeping in urban environments often occurs during unsociable hours which on a standard diesel vehicle produces a lot of noise when the majority of the population is sleeping. With electrical vehicles, the noise generated by these machines is significantly quieter minimising noise pollution and leading to reduced complaints. The majority of noise emitted from sweepers is from the fans however, with the new fan system in our electrical vehicles, there is an incredible decrease in noise, dropping from approx. 99dB(A) to 92dB(A).

Due to the efficiency of electric technology (even on maximum settings) an electric run sweeper will be quieter than diesel. This is a great achievement particularly for the operators of these sweepers as repeated exposure to high levels of noise causes hearing loss or damage. This means that if operating an electric engine sweeper, the operator has reduced exposure to high volume noise and any associated health risks are reduced when compared to the diesel alternative.

Ease of use

Due to the nature of electric vehicles and how the electric motors work, they contain fewer moving parts compared to diesel-run machines, meaning there are fewer oil changes, fewer checks, and less opportunity for things to break. Another benefit of having fewer parts is a lighter overall weight so performance and capacity are slightly improved.

A common fear of operators when it comes to electric vehicles is whether they can achieve the same job as a diesel engine. A study from 2015 analysed the efficiency of electrical vehicle sweeping and they found:

“The result shows that comparing traditional sweeping vehicle, electric sweeping vehicle system energy consumption is reduced by about 50%… and working time can meet the demand of regional cleaning.”H. Zhan, G. Tan, Y. Gao, J. Xia, W. Xue and S. Huang, 2015 When overall energy consumption is reduced power is used more efficiently and efficiency is increased to ensure the units are well matched for the jobs in hand.

Health and Environment

Another fantastic advantage of electric vehicles is the introduction of a regenerative braking system. Unlike a conventional braking system, a regenerative braking system doesn’t rely on friction in order to brake. This means there is 95% less brake dust emission which has an impact on the local environment. These particles get into the surrounding air and lower air quality which can affect the health of the driver and those in the surrounding area. By removing this type of braking system, not only does it reduce the amount of harmful particulate matter you are exposed to but this brake dust doesn’t build in the internal mechanisms which means less chance of malfunction and breakdown.

A case study from the Netherlands highlighted the overall environmental benefits of running electrical fleets compared to conventional fuels: “Electric vehicles drove more than 700,000 kilometers during the trial. This cut the amount of CO2 the city’s vehicles emitted by 67% and particulate matter emissions by 10%. The trial also meant that the city completely stopped emitting NOx.” (Urban Mobility Solutions)

The findings of this study suggest that driving an electric vehicle is much more beneficial to general health than a diesel engine, with reduced exposure to CO2, NOx, and inhalable particulate matter.

There is no argument that electric technology is changing the face of municipal sweeping. With both fleet managers and operators benefiting from the introduction of electric vehicles, it is only a matter of time before most, if not all fleets, move across to being fully electric. There is no doubt that electric technology really is the future of municipal cleansing operations.