Bath & North East Somerset Council are trialling an electric recycling collection truck powered by electricity generated from solar panels at Keynsham Recycling Hub.

The 16 tonne DAF vehicle currently being used for recycling collections across the district has a larger capacity than the council’s existing fleet, meaning it can collect more recycling before needing to return to the depot.

According to the council, the waste and cleansing operations are already supported by 12 electric vehicles.  

The council further noted investment is set aside to potentially replace several diesel-fuelled refuse collection vehicles with electric powered ones in 2026. 

It hopes the trial will help inform whether this type of vehicle would be a suitable upgrade for the council’s recycling collection vehicles, which are due for replacement in 2027. 

Councillor Tim Ball, cabinet member for Neighbourhood Services, said: “It is exciting to see the electric recycling vehicle on the road collecting residents’ recycling while contributing to cleaner air. It’s also fantastic that we can power the vehicle through solar energy from Keynsham Recycling Hub – a renewable and clean energy source that lowers our fuel costs too.

“This trial will tell us what can be achieved with a larger capacity vehicle and fully test its capabilities, helping inform us how we can get closer to our aim to make our collections cleaner and greener.”