Collaboration with FCC next step for Spanish EV challenge
Irizar continues to harbour significant electric vehicle aspirations having shown off its vocational option at last month’s Sustainable Urban Mobility Congress (SUM) in Spain’s Bilbao.
The Spanish vehicle builder made plain its intentions last year with the opening of its ‘electromobility plant’ and the flagging of commercial vehicle intentions beyond its core bus construction.
Irizar has linked with infrastructure and environmental services giant Group FCC to develop its urban-focused ieTruck in waste-collection mode.
“This platform is the outcome of an R&D project developed alongside the Group FCC, which is a global leader in environmental services, integral water management and developing and building infrastructure and other technology centres,” Irizar says.
“The Group FCC contributed their vast knowledge and experience in operating urban services and, in consequence of the successful outcome of the collaboration, the first prototype equipped with side loading bodywork for waste collection has been produced. It is expected to reach the market in the coming months.”
Read how Irizar flagged it electric truck aspirations, here
Both firms boast of the vehicle’s ultra-quiet operation and zero emissions, both a prerequisite for major European city governments.
“The vehicle’s is designed with an electric traction motor, high-power batteries and a unified electronic system,” FCC says.
“As a result, it can be used to deliver the same services as those of a conventional waste collection vehicle, with the same performance features but reducing the energy consumed by over 50 per cent and also drastically reducing emissions and CO2.”
The vehicle is an 8-metre-long 6×2 with a carrying capacity of 18 tonnes and has regenerative braking functionality.
The four-seat cabin was developed exclusively for urban applications and is said to have one with the lowest access height on the market.
It includes a pneumatic door that swings inwards. It includes anti-entrapment sensors, a photocell “and a sensitive edge on the leaf to avoid any kind of unintended incidents during faster application”, traffic sensors and emergency brake assist.