As electric vehicles (EVs) become more prevalent in our industry, it’s important to note the changes these vehicles will bring to Republic Services’ hardworking maintenance teams. Two of the biggest differences will be the reduced maintenance time and brake wear thanks to regenerative braking.
There are several reasons for the time reduction, starting with the engine. EVs don’t have engines or conventional transmissions, eliminating typical issues maintenance crews deal with when working with internal combustion engines. Plus, no engines mean no oil changes!
Besides engine oil changes, electric vehicles decrease brake wear by using regenerative braking. ”The electric motors in the EV slow the truck down and convert the energy into electricity stored in the battery.” said Brett Rogers, Vice President of Operations Technology. “The stored electricity can propel the vehicle forward, reducing brake wear since you use the brakes less often. It also improves efficiency since you capture and reuse energy every time you brake.”
Republic Services is committed to partnering with our customers to create a more sustainable world. In line with this commitment, we have set a goal to have 50% of our truck purchases be electric by 2028 and are confident our maintenance teams will be ready to provide service for these electric vehicles when the time comes.
Please help us celebrate Maintenance Awareness Month by thanking your local Maintenance teams! Thanks to them, Republic Services can make these industry-leading changes to our fleet!