Aberdeen-based waste and recycling specialist A&M Smith Recycling has introduced the first Renault Trucks electric skip loader to enter service in Scotland.
The company has added an 18-tonne Renault Trucks E-Tech D Wide to its fleet, marking its first fully electric skip wagon and a significant step in its plans to reduce diesel use across its operations.
The 4×2 rigid vehicle, fitted with four battery packs and a Palfinger skip loader body, is based at A&M Smith Recycling’s Bankhead Recycling Centre, south of Aberdeen. It will operate on local skip deliveries and collections across Aberdeen and the surrounding area, serving residential, commercial and industrial customers.
The electric vehicle joins the company’s 16-strong waste collection fleet and continues a longstanding relationship between A&M Smith Recycling and Renault Trucks. One of the firm’s longest-serving skip loaders, a Renault Trucks vehicle registered in 2012, only left the fleet last year.
Scott Smith, owner of A&M Smith Recycling, said: “We have been looking seriously at how we reduce our reliance on diesel across the business and make further progress towards decarbonising our operations.
“Putting our first electric skip wagon – the Renault Trucks E-Tech D Wide – on the road is an important step. This zero tailpipe emissions vehicle will have a dramatic impact on our Scope 1 emissions, as well as the benefits of the Scope 3 impacts on our offshore services customers.”
Designed for local operations
The Renault Trucks E-Tech D Wide is being used on carefully selected routes in and around Aberdeen, returning to A&M Smith’s depot each evening for overnight charging.
Its quieter operation is expected to be particularly beneficial for residential collections and early-morning work, helping to reduce vehicle noise for customers and local communities. The vehicle will also support commercial and industrial contracts, including customers looking to lower emissions in their supply chains.
Smith said: “Going into a customer’s site with an electric truck provides visible evidence that we are investing in a cleaner operation. The vehicle is quiet, easy to drive and well suited to the urban and local work we are using it for.
“Our drivers have taken to it well and it is already demonstrating the potential to reduce day-to-day running costs compared with a diesel vehicle. There are fewer maintenance requirements, no AdBlue is required and the electric driveline provides a smooth and comfortable driving experience.”
Part of a wider electrification programme
A&M Smith Recycling Services was established by Scott and Kerry Smith in 1994, building on an inert landfill site business first started by Scott’s parents, Albert and Muriel Smith, in 1972.
Today, the family-owned business operates from bases in Aberdeen and Peterhead, providing waste collection, skip hire and recycling services across the north east of Scotland.
The E-Tech D Wide is the latest element of a wider electrification programme at the company’s main operating centre. A&M Smith already operates a 12-tonne electric forklift and has installed charging points for plug-in electric vehicles.
The business is also progressing plans to install a one-megawatt wind turbine with battery storage. The project is intended to generate and store energy to power vehicles, plant and equipment on site.
Building electric HGV experience
With the electric skip loader now operating daily, A&M Smith Recycling is gaining practical experience of battery-electric HGV energy consumption, charging requirements and route planning.
The E-Tech D Wide’s battery-electric driveline produces zero tailpipe emissions, while regenerative braking captures energy during deceleration and returns it to the batteries. The vehicle is supported by a three-year repair and maintenance package, providing additional cost and maintenance certainty as the company operates its first electric HGV.
Renault Trucks’ experience in deploying battery-electric commercial vehicles was a key factor in A&M Smith’s decision.
Smith added: “Renault Trucks has done a great deal of groundwork on electric vehicles and, in our view, is one of the leaders in terms of knowledge and practical experience.
“Keith and the team at Renault Trucks understand the product and the industry, and worked hard to find a commercial solution that enabled us to put this vehicle into operation. That support is especially important when you are investing in new technology for the first time.”
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Keith Johnston, regional business manager at Renault Trucks UK, said: “This is an important milestone for A&M Smith Recycling and Renault Trucks in Scotland.
“By matching the E-Tech D Wide to local, back-to-base work, Scott and his team have identified an operation where battery-electric technology can deliver clear practical and environmental benefits.
“A&M Smith is also considering the complete energy picture, including renewable generation, battery storage and charging infrastructure. That practical, long-term approach will be invaluable as the business builds its experience and considers further fleet electrification.”
