Electrification of Waste Collection Vehicles: Technoeconomic Analysis Based on an Energy Demand Simulation Using Real-Life Operational Data

Waste transport plays an important role in the decarbonization of the transport sector. In this article, diesel-powered collections vehicle (dWCV) and electric waste collections vehicle (eWCV) and their operation are analyzed regarding energy demand and total cost of ownership (TCO) integrating well-to-wheel emission casts. Furthermore, an open-source simulation tool with a route synthetization approach is presented using extensive real-life operational data of five different route types. Determined WCV energy demand varies greatly between vehicle topologies and analyzed route types. eWCV shows a mean distance-specific energy demand of 1.85 kWh-km(-1), while values for dWCV increase to 5.43 kWh-km(-1), respectively. The factors route distance and the number of waste containers collected show the highest influence on results. Therefore, battery capacity should be sized according to specific route types. eWCV shows higher TCO than dWCV under current economic constraints, but fuel price level and annual vehicle mileage show a high influence on economic feasibility. Taking the planned emissions price mechanism of the German Government into account, economic scenarios could be identified, which make eWCV advantageous yet in 2021. In technical terms, there is nothing to stop for the electrification of WCV, and with suitable political instruments, eWCV could become profitable in the short term.

Automated summary

The study examines the differences in energy demand and total cost of ownership between diesel-powered waste collection vehicles and electric waste collection vehicles. Electric vehicles have lower energy consumption but higher total cost of ownership, with factors such as route distance and number of waste containers collected influencing the results significantly.