Lunaz reveals upcycled recycling truck ahead of nationwide roll-out
Ahead of its nationwide roll-out of industrial upcycled electric vehicles (UEVs), Lunaz Applied Technologies (LAT) has revealed its design and powertrain requirements.
Following a preliminary development phase, which consumed a total of 240 collective years of intensive development by the brand’s engineering and design functions, LAT has met every target outlined in the illustration, in doing so creating the world’s first UEV recycling truck.
These vehicles, which are based on the Mercedes-Benz Econic platform, are cleaner, cheaper and better equipped than their all-new battery electric counterparts.
Following a significant inflow of government contracts, these UEVs will be operating recycling collection routes for several councils, including a number of London boroughs.
The UEV recycling trucks will save millions of tonnes of embedded carbon from landfill.
An independent environmental audit commissioned by LAT confirmed that more than 80% of embedded carbon over total lifetime is saved when upcycling rather than replacing an existing refuse truck with a new EV equivalent.
Repurposing these end-of-life vehicles into UEVs that are cleaner, less expensive and better-equipped than their all-new equivalents supports the urgent requirement for fleet operators and governments worldwide to reach carbon neutrality.
David Lorenz, Founder, Lunaz, said: “When we embarked on the Lunaz journey in 2018, it was our mission to upcycle internal combustion engined vehicles of all kinds into clean-air solutions – from Rolls-Royces to refuse trucks.
“Lunaz Applied Technologies (LAT), a separate arm under the Lunaz brand, began with a rendering of a recycling truck. This outlined not just an incredibly ambitious technological vision for an upcycled electric vehicle (UEV) but a wish list expressed to us first hand by the people who operated them, from service engineers and fleet managers to drivers and crew.
“I am delighted to confirm that the vision outlined in this rendering has been met across the board and that LAT UEVs will begin their nationwide roll-out imminently.
“In upcycling these end-of-life internal combustion engined commercial and industrial vehicles with our electric powertrain, LAT UEVs are cleaner, less expensive and better equipped than their all-new equivalents. In addition, they are far quieter than their ICE counterparts.
“These critical vehicles save thousands of tonnes of embedded carbon from landfill and represent a meaningful contribution to private businesses and governments as they strive towards carbon neutrality. Recycling trucks are just the beginning for the Mercedes-Benz Econic platform.”
Image: courtesy Lunaz
