Issaquah's Green Leap: A New Era of Silent, Electric Waste Collection

ISSAQUAH, WA – April 28, 2026 – The familiar, early-morning roar of the neighborhood garbage truck is about to get a lot quieter in Issaquah. In a significant move toward a cleaner, more sustainable future, a new, fully electric refuse collection vehicle is set to begin service. The product of a landmark collaboration between chassis manufacturer Autocar, LLC, body manufacturer The Heil Co., and waste recovery leader Recology, Inc., this truck represents a new frontier in municipal services.

The vehicle, which pairs Autocar's E-ACX™ all-electric chassis with Heil's RevAMP® electric automated side loader, is more than just an electric version of a diesel truck. It’s a ground-up, fully integrated system designed to deliver zero-emission waste collection without compromising the rigorous demands of the job. For the residents of Issaquah, it means cleaner air, quieter streets, and a tangible step toward the city's ambitious environmental goals.

A Technological Leap in Urban Sanitation

At the heart of this innovation is a design philosophy that Autocar and Heil call “Power of One® Plus” integration. Unlike traditional refuse trucks, where a collection body is mounted onto a third-party chassis, this vehicle was engineered from the outset as a single, cohesive unit. This approach eliminates inefficient modifications and optimizes the interplay between the chassis that drives the truck and the body that collects the waste.

“You don't build a truck like the E-ACX overnight, it's the result of decades of building severe-duty vehicles and applying that real-world, curb-backwards experience to electrification,” said Juan Higgs, Chief of Engineering for ACX at Autocar. “Working together with Heil let us engineer the truck as a complete system... to deliver real performance, range, and payload without compromise.”

The Autocar E-ACX chassis is a purpose-built, all-electric platform featuring an in-house EV powertrain. This design ensures that the truck has the power and durability required for the stop-and-go duty cycle of waste collection. Paired with it is the Heil RevAMP, an all-electric automated side loader that operates without any on-route hydraulics. This not only dramatically reduces operational noise but also eliminates the risk of hydraulic fluid spills.

A key feature of the RevAMP body is its independent, on-board battery system. This means the arm and compactor do not draw power from the chassis's main battery during collection, a critical factor in preserving the truck's driving range and ensuring it can complete a full day's route on a single charge. This versatility allows the RevAMP body to be mounted on diesel or CNG chassis as well, where it can reduce fuel consumption by up to 38% by not needing power from the engine for its functions.

The Race for the First Fully Integrated EV

The claim of being the “industry's first fully integrated EV refuse truck” places Heil and Autocar at the forefront of a rapidly evolving market. The push to electrify heavy-duty vocational fleets has spurred intense competition, with other major players like Oshkosh Corporation and McNeilus also introducing what they describe as fully integrated electric refuse collection vehicles (eRCVs).

This competitive landscape signals a healthy and accelerating transition within the industry. While definitions of “fully integrated” may vary, the Heil and Autocar collaboration stands out due to its specific engineering partnership and the unique technical solution of the RevAMP body's independent power source. This design directly addresses one of the primary concerns for fleet managers: range anxiety. By separating the power needs of the body from the chassis, the system ensures that the vehicle's ability to travel is not compromised by its work collecting refuse.

This deployment in Issaquah serves as a crucial field test, providing real-world data that will be invaluable as the technology matures. The lessons learned on the suburban streets of Washington will likely shape the next generation of eRCVs across the industry.

A Perfect Match for a Sustainability Leader

The choice of Issaquah as the launch city for this vehicle is no coincidence. In 2023, the city became the first in Washington state to achieve LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, a testament to its long-term commitment to sustainability. The city’s ambitious Climate Action Plan (ICAP) calls for a 50% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2050.

The introduction of a zero-emission refuse vehicle aligns perfectly with these goals. It directly tackles GHG emissions from municipal services, improves local air quality, and reduces noise pollution. It's a visible and impactful demonstration of the city’s environmental policies in action.

Operating the truck is Recology, an employee-owned company renowned for its focus on resource recovery and its pioneering adoption of green fleet technology. Already, over 90% of Recology’s fleet runs on renewable or alternative fuels. The addition of this fully electric truck is a natural next step in their mission.

“Recology has a long track record of adopting emerging technologies and partnering with equipment manufacturers to develop solutions that help us deliver safer, smarter, and more reliable service,” said Salvatore Coniglio, CEO of Recology. “Bringing this fully electric truck into service in Issaquah is an important step in our transition to zero-emission collection, and we're excited to learn how zero-emission technology performs in real-world conditions on our routes.”

The Business Case for Electrifying Waste Collection

The move toward electric refuse trucks is driven by more than just environmental benefits. While the upfront investment is higher than for a conventional diesel truck, the potential for a lower total cost of ownership (TCO) is a powerful motivator for fleet managers. Savings on fuel and significantly reduced maintenance costs—with yearly service intervals instead of quarterly—can offset the initial purchase price over the vehicle's lifespan.

However, the transition is not without challenges. The most significant hurdles are the high cost and logistical complexity of installing robust charging infrastructure at depots, which often require substantial electrical grid upgrades. Concerns about battery range, especially in hilly terrain or extreme weather, also remain.

This is why pilot programs and phased deployments like the one in Issaquah are so critical. They allow haulers and municipalities to test the technology, understand its operational limits, and develop the necessary infrastructure and maintenance protocols. Tony Giles, Alternative Fuels Product Director for Heil, emphasized this point: “Electrification only works if it performs in the field. Our focus with the RevAMP has been to ensure fleets can transition to electric collection without disrupting operations or compromising productivity.”

As major players like Republic Services announce plans to make electric trucks half of their new vehicle purchases in the coming years, the industry is clearly moving past isolated trials toward strategic fleet-wide planning. The new vehicle in Issaquah, a product of deep collaboration between a chassis maker, a body manufacturer, and a waste hauler, will begin service following commissioning and operator training, marking a pivotal moment in the quiet revolution transforming urban sanitation.