Electric technology is being becoming increasingly present across the globe, with cities from New York all the way to Edinburgh investing in electric technology for their fleets. 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 having a fully electrical fleet so popular?

There are three main issues that fleet managers were reported to be most concerned about with their current fleet: reducing fuel spend, reducing maintenance costs and reducing environmental footprint (highlighted by the Samsara Survey). These three factors are all significantly reduced, if not eliminated with the implementation of electric technology.

Reducing Fuel Spend

With red diesel becoming illegal in 2022 and fuel costs rising, costs are becoming a concern. There are current fuel alternatives that can be used that not only replace diesel but are also better for the environment. However, these fuels (such as HVO and Bio Methane) aren’t without their downsides. They can be more expensive than diesel and supply issues are a problem in the UK. These alternatives are great as a stepping stone to electrification but in the long term, the structure just isn’t quite there for mass production. This leaves electric technology as the ultimate goal for fleets across the world to replace expensive and non-environmentally friendly diesel.

Using electric technology to power spreaders helps the world move away from the dependance on fossil fuels - a rapidly decreasing resource, which can only mean the cost of using fossil fuels can only continue to increase until fully depleted. Electric technology can be powered by sustainable and renewable methods such as wind or solar power, therefore being completely carbon neutral and extremely cost effective.

Compared to the cost of currently used diesel machines, electric technology is, when considering whole life costs, far more cost effective. Many argue the installation of specific electrical charge ports will increase the startup cost of investing in electrical machines, however, our Bucher Municipal electric vehicles are also compatible with roadside automotive chargers that are already common throughout the country. Having the choice of automotive chargers means that one port can have many uses, further driving up the overall value for money in our electric vehicles.

Reducing Maintenance Cost

Not only does switching from diesel fuels to electric save money, but it increases efficiency and decreases maintenance costs.

New York City conducted a study in 2019 on their electric municipal fleet and found that “servicing costs with our all-electric vehicle models is dramatically less than with gas, hybrid, or hybrid plug-in models.” Their study showed that one electric model cost only $204.86 (£154.56) for maintenance during 2018, compared to a whopping $1805.24 (£1,362.10) for a diesel powered vehicle.

The savings made from both maintenance costs and removing diesel as a fuel saves nearly £20,000 annually, a large saving that could be put to use is other areas. That figure does not even take into the consideration of cost of labour which would also be reduced due to the efficiency of the electric vehicle operation.

Reducing Carbon Footprint

There needs to be drastic changes over the coming years in order to battle the climate crisis. Air pollution in large cities is only a fraction of the greater problem caused by modern vehicles but it plays a huge role in the heath of both the population and the environment.

A case study from the Netherlands highlighted the overall environmental benefits of running electrical fleets compared to conventional fuels: “Electric vehicles drove more than 700k kilometres 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 just go to show how important and beneficial the move from diesel to electric is.

Noise pollution is extremely important when road gritting in urban environments as operations often occur during unsocial hours and implementing electrical vehicles can significantly reduce this disruption to the local communities.

Electric vehicles also increase the public’s positive perceptions of the authorities. The Guardian found that “Britons are more worried about climate crisis than economy, crime and immigration”. With this concern for the environment so focal in today’s society, the presence of electric vehicles on the street shows the population there are things being done about the crisis.

There is no argument that electric technology is changing the face of municipal operations. With fossil fuels depleting rapidly, fuel prices are rising and climate issues are at the front and centre of people’s minds; electrical vehicles bring a solution to these issues. The overall cost of ownership being better than conventional fuels through both running and maintenance costs, mean electric vehicles solve many of the issues that fleet managers have raised with their current, diesel-run fleets. Although the startup cost of changing a full fleet wholly to electric is daunting, the savings made over just a single year of running are significant enough to consider it. The money saved by investing in electric spreaders is huge, and with the benefit to the climate there is no doubt that electric technology really is the future of municipality.

With the new and exciting technologies coming into the market, there are a lot of questions as to whether the new products will perform as well as the current vehicles available on the market. It’s natural to have a lot of concerns with brand new technology but these concerns may not be warranted, and a few misconceptions can come about from a lack of knowledge on the product.

Answers to some of the most asked questions regarding Bucher’s Electra Salt spreader can be found here.

How long does it take to charge? 

The Electra spreader onboard battery is 7.12kWh, meaning charging time from 0 to 100% is around 90 minutes using a high powered charging station. Additionally, customer usage data shows that a quick 15-20 minute charge is sufficient to put enough charge back into the battery for a grit run. Typically, the spreader is put onto charge after every 2 or 3 runs out, not every time. 
 

Batteries don’t like the cold. How does it perform in low temperatures? 

Given the nature of what we are doing with the technology, and the low temperature operating environments, this was a consideration from the very start of the research and design phase. Our battery has a heated insulated jacket around it, which helps it keep a constant temperature when in operation and receiving a charge. The spreader was designed by our Italian division to operate in much colder conditions throughout Europe and the rest of the world.  
 

What charging points do I require? 

Each Electra spreader is supplied with its own charger, and it is possible that 1 charger can be used to charge multiple machines. Therefore, a special electric charge point isn’t needed in the same way you need one for an electric car. Instead, the gritter uses a 3-phase, 400v supply, which are usually already installed and readily available at service depots.  
 

How much range can it deliver? What happens when I run out of charge? 

Rather than measure in miles, its easier to gauge the ‘range’ in the volume of salt that can be delivered on a full charge. We have measured this at between 20-25 tonnes of salt, before the battery is depleted. Our 18 tonne, 6m³ spreaders would typically go out 4-5 times before needing to be recharged.  

The battery management system always keeps enough charge in reserve to make sure that the spreader lights stay on, and the controller still functions. Additionally, the driver always has visibility of the state of charge and is given warnings (just like a fuel tank) when charge levels are getting low.  
 

What about corrosion and electrics? 

 Again, this was an early consideration, and has been kept in mind when building the components. Electrical components that have a potential to get damaged have the highest level of protection against the elements and have been tested repeatedly through our stringent quality control processes to make sure they are safe.