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Germany’s waste collectors are quietly proving what works for electric HGVs: predictable routes, depot charging, and fleets large enough to justify the infrastructure investment.
While long-haul operators are still trialling battery-electric trucks in small numbers, Europe’s municipal waste fleets are electrifying rapidly, and Daimler Truck’s Mercedes-Benz and Fuso models are among those being adopted across the continent.
In Karlsruhe, the municipal operator Team Sauberes Karlsruhe (TSK) has rolled out seven Mercedes-Benz eEconic electric refuse trucks and ordered eleven more, aiming for a fully zero-emission waste collection fleet by 2035. Each vehicle runs predictable city routes of up to 100 kilometres a day without intermediate charging, powered by three 112 kWh battery packs (around 97 kWh usable).
TSK installed a 400kW depot charging system with eight 100kW charging points and an integrated energy-management platform to balance grid demand. A photovoltaic installation is also planned so the vehicles can be charged using locally generated solar power.
The project, funded under Germany’s KsNI programme for climate-friendly commercial vehicles and infrastructure, is expected to save up to 1,200 tonnes of CO₂ annually.
“By using the new electric vehicles, we are ensuring quieter and lower-emission waste disposal in the city area, thereby improving the quality of life in neighbourhoods,” Team Sauberes Karlsruhe said in a statement. “Depending on the area of application, each eEconic can save between 150 and 170 tonnes of CO₂ per year.”
Drivers, too, have welcomed the change. After a year-long trial with a test vehicle, TSK employees praised the eEconic’s quiet performance, lack of vibration and smooth acceleration. They also noted that working conditions, both in the cab and at the rear of the truck, were “significantly more pleasant” than in the diesel models they replaced.
Karlsruhe’s rollout mirrors a wider trend across Europe, where municipal waste fleets are often the first to prove that heavy-duty electrification can work in daily service. At Berlin Brandenburg Airport, a Fuso eCanter from Daimler Truck’s light-duty range handles ground logistics and waste duties. In Switzerland, TIT Imhof AG has added the Fuso eCanter to its fleet, while in Greece, 89 battery-electric Fuso eCanters are already operating in Athens and Thessaloniki. Earlier this year, a Mercedes-Benz eActros 300 carried out fully electric waste collection during the World Ski Championships.
