Heil introduces electric automatic side loader

Heil Environmental, Chattanooga, Tennessee, a major manufacturer of refuse collection vehicle (RCV) truck bodies, has introduced the RevAMP, an electric automated sideload (eASL) truck body.

A part of Environmental Services Group (ESG) and Dover Corp., Heil’s RevAMP eASL is equipped with a fast, efficient electric lift arm and auger-style compactor that reduces the energy required for refuse collection, the time spent at each collection stop and noise levels from vehicle operation in residential areas, according to the manufacturer.

Heil’s RevAMP electric body has its own energy source and can be mounted on any chassis powered by electric, diesel or compressed natural gas (CNG). When mounted on a diesel or CNG-powered chassis, the RevAMP can save up to 4,000 gallons of fuel annually per truck by eliminating the power required from the drive unit’s engine, the company says. When mounted on an electric chassis, the RevAMP’s self-contained battery eliminates additional drain on the chassis power system, extending the range of the vehicle. In addition, it can be integrated with the electric vehicle (EV) chassis’ battery to provide backup power to the body. if needed.

“By electrifying the body functions that would require diesel power from the drive unit of a typical RCV, we are able to reduce each vehicle’s greenhouse gas emissions by a massive 41 metric tons per year,” ESG President Pat Carroll says. “The RevAMP perfectly exemplifies ESG’s commitment to improving the lives of our customers and their communities by delivering improved performance, significant fuel cost savings, and, most importantly, providing immediate and long-term environmental and sustainability benefits.”

Although the RevAMP reduces costs and emissions when mounted on a diesel chassis, the maximum impact is realized when the body is paired with an electric chassis. The absence of hydraulic components eliminates the risk of unaesthetic, hazardous hydraulic fluid leaks. Additionally, a smaller number of components and a streamlined body construction simplify maintenance needs over time.

The city of Ocala, Florida, was the first municipality to add the RevAMP ASL to its fleet, ESG says. 

“A diesel RCV typically costs us about $175 per day in fuel, whereas the RevAMP mounted on an electric chassis will only cost $30 to accomplish the same job,” Ocala Fleet and Facilities Director John King says. “After an exhaustive comparison of all the electric refuse equipment currently on the market, the performance, fuel-cost savings and meaningful environmental benefits of the Heil RevAMP made it the clear choice for us.”

Municipal and private waste haulers are recognizing the value of switching from diesel to fully electric refuse trucks, Heil says. A vehicle such as the RevAMP purchased by the city of Ocala, operating five days per week, would deliver an annual fuel-cost savings of approximately $37,700 per year, per truck.

Carroll says the RevAmp’s onboard battery “extends the range of the vehicle on a single overnight charge.”

Although most electric vehicles require a tradeoff of performance for environmental benefits, Heil Vice President of Product Development Brandon Volner says that’s not the case with the RevAmp.

“In fact, the lightweight RevAMP body increases the available payload of the vehicle, enabling more homes to be serviced each day by a single truck. In addition, the fast, smooth electric arm provides the operator with a reliable, highly productive tool needed to complete waste routes quickly and efficiently, day in and day out.”

Those who would like a closer look at the Heil RevAMP can register for a virtual trade show Nov. 10 at 11 a.m. Eastern Time.

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