Bradford Council is trialling an electric gritter with a range of up to 170 miles – depending on load and road conditions – enabling it to complete gritting routes with ease.
The EV gritter, which can achieve a full charge in less than two hours and runs near silent is expected to produce an operational savings cost per mile of about 0.13p/mile.
Leased from Yorkshire-based Econ Engineering, the gritter is funded from Clean Air Zone revenue.
The gritter trial this winter season will explore the vehicle’s attributes on different routes, capturing real time data from the vehicle such as the location, vehicle performance and battery life.
Performance data will be analysed and used to assess the practicality of EV gritters for future years as well as on the use of new cost saving technologies.
The gritter will be integrated into the Bradford Council fleet based out of Wakefield Road Depot where it will be treating roads in Little Horton, Great Horton, Wibsey, Woodside and the City Centre.
Callum Mapplebeck, Principal Engineer at Bradford Council said, “Our drivers have reported that the electric gritter is a lot cleaner to recharge rather than refuelling, has no oil so there are no oil leaks and it a is offers a quiet drive which is a benefit when gritting in residential areas.”
Bradford Council’s Lead Member for Regeneration, Transport and Planning Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw said, “It is great to be extending the number of fully electric vehicles in the Bradford Council fleet as we move forwards looking ambitious target of achieving net zero carbon by 2038.”
