AssetID: 53274795
Headline: RAW VIDEO: Recycled EV Firm Lunaz Turning Rubbish Collection Green With Futuristic Bin Lorries
Caption: Lunaz, the Silverstone-based company known for electrifying premium classic cars, is now doing its bit to make bin collections more green. The firm’s latest creation is an electric bin lorry capable of producing 5000lb ft of torque, a figure that far surpasses even the mightiest heavy-haulage juggernauts. With an ability to accelerate from 0-50mph in just six seconds, this eco-friendly behemoth is poised to revolutionise waste collection in partnership with Buckinghamshire Council. The innovative vehicle is a testament to Lunaz Applied Technologies, a subsidiary of Lunaz, known for its prowess in electrifying and upcycling classic automobiles. Unlike conventional approaches to heavy commercial electric vehicles (EVs), Lunaz's method involves transforming existing bin lorries that have reached the end of their UK service life, typically seven years and 70,000-90,000 miles. The firm’s approach to electrifying existing vehicles has won it some influential backers - with David Beckham taking delivery of an electrified Jaguar. Comedian Jack Whitehall is also a backer - and has praised the firm’s plans to electrify bin collection. “What’s not to love about the Lunaz proposition?” He gushes. “Whether future-proofing the world’s best classic cars by making them electric or turning polluting trucks into state-of-the art EVs they are making the planet a better place by reducing emissions and stopping perfectly good vehicles going to scrap. I’m proud to explain vehicle upcycling in this film to spread the word about the power of this innovative process, which supports the necessary switch from polluting vehicles to clean-air alternatives.” Maintaining 80% of the donor vehicle, Lunaz replaces the diesel drivetrain with an electric one, offering double the power and seven times the torque. This unique approach ensures that 80% of the lorry's embedded carbon is saved compared to manufacturing a new commercial EV, a significant environmental benefit. With the internal combustion engine removed, every UEV undergoes a full bare-metal strip and rebuild. The rear body is removed, and the chassis is blast-cleaned using advanced steel media that can be reclaimed and used more than 200 times. It is then repainted with a super-hard wearing paint developed for the fan-blade housings on jet aero-engines. All of the vehicle’s internal and external plastics are also removed and repaired to as-new condition. So far, Lunaz has been able to reuse up to 97 per cent of these items. The vehicle’s lubricants, hydraulic oil and coolant are also reclaimed and cleaned using an innovative process whereby additives are applied to the base stock, delivering as-new performance at minimal environmental cost. The first recipient of Lunaz's upcycled electric bin lorry is Buckinghamshire Council, marking a milestone for the company and its foray into the commercial electric vehicle market. Lunaz Applied Technologies has positioned itself as a potential money-spinner for the brand, with plans to deliver a total of 57 electric bin lorries by the end of the year and over 200 more in 2024. The electric bin lorry is based on the Mercedes Econic Euro 6 platform, a well-regarded commercial platform known for its durability. Lunaz refurbishes the existing chassis, preserving the original tested components, before fitting an electric powertrain. The electric motor, mounted under the cab, produces 470bhp and 5162lb ft, delivering impressive performance, even outperforming an unladen ICE Econic in testing. With six 65.5kWh batteries on board, the bin lorry achieves a range of 155-160 miles, more than sufficient for its daily operations. Lunaz's concept includes overnight recharging via a 22kW on-board AC charger, catering to the vehicle's daytime usage pattern. Beyond its environmental benefits, the upcycled bin lorry features practical enhancements for waste operatives. Lunaz designers collaborated with bin loaders to refine the cabin, resulting in improved seating configurations, additional cupholders, and modern amenities such as Apple CarPlay.
Keywords: lunaz,jack whitehall,feature,photo,video,ev,motoring,recycling,bins,rubbish
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