The District of North Vancouver will return its pilot electric garbage truck to the vendor after battery limitations prevented it from reliably completing residential collection routes, according to a staff report in the October 5 council agenda.
Between January 9 and May 1, 2026, the truck needed assistance to complete its assigned route 35 percent of the time, primarily because of battery capacity. Its battery was below 10 percent at the end of the day 17 percent of the time. The July 30 report says the truck achieved an estimated 70 to 75 percent of the operational demands expected of a conventional diesel collection vehicle.
The pilot ran from October 2024 to May 2026. The truck entered full operational testing in August 2025 after an extended commissioning period and manufacturer adjustments. The report says staff tested it across the District’s residential collection routes, including steep terrain, stop-and-go operations, seasonal weather and changing payloads.
Operators regularly had to return early or adjust assignments because of the battery’s limits. Other vehicles and crews had to absorb the workload, and the truck lacked the reserve capacity needed to support crews on other routes. The report also identifies benefits, including quieter operation, lower emissions and reduced fuel and maintenance costs.
Fuel costs were approximately 82 percent lower, producing estimated savings of $14,000 between January and May 2026. Maintenance costs were approximately 63 percent lower, with estimated savings of $39,000 between October 2024 and May 2026.
Staff caution that those savings cannot be treated as a direct comparison with a diesel truck because the electric vehicle could not complete the same workload. The report estimates an annual greenhouse gas reduction of 44,590 kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent compared with a diesel collection vehicle.
Staff conclude the pilot vehicle is unsuitable as a replacement for a conventional diesel truck under the District’s current operating conditions. They will continue monitoring improvements in the technology. District of North Vancouver Council will review the report at the October 5 council meeting.
