The first Buckinghamshire bin lorry to become fully electric will begin its up-cycling and electrification process as part of a partnership between Buckinghamshire Council and Lunaz.

The 26-tonne refuse vehicle will be converted from diesel power to electric, with delivery to be made in the autumn.

The work is being funded with a grant from Defra (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs).

All Lunaz vehicles are completely stripped down and all components inspected, up-cycled and replaced as required.

This includes the removal of the current diesel engine and replacing it with a fully electric drivetrain.

The cab, driver functions and bin-lift equipment will also be fully refurbished and upgraded to latest technological and safety standards.

Gareth Williams, Buckinghamshire Council’s cabinet member for climate change and environment oversaw the delivery of the first diesel refuse vehicle to the team at Lunaz’ HQ on the Silverstone Technology Park.

He said: “This is a very exciting moment for Buckinghamshire Council and a big milestone in our journey to cutting our carbon emissions and meeting our climate change strategy ambitions.”

He continued: “It marks the first step in our desire to run a more sustainable fleet of vehicles by using a renewable energy source and has multiple additional benefits including improving air quality and saving money both in terms of cheaper every day running costs, and the retention of more than 80% of the embedded carbon versus scrapping an existing vehicle and replacing with new.

“In this regard, our partnership with Lunaz represents the best possible outcome for both the planet and the taxpayer. It also reflects our commitment as a council, to supporting local business and employment in the area.”

The deal with Buckinghamshire Council announcement follows the signing in April of a seven-year fleet electrification programme between Biffa and Lunaz, confirming a commitment to allocating a significant proportion of its 1,110 vehicle per year production capacity.

Lunaz wants to deliver a more ecologically viable and cost-effective solution for transitioning internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles to electric.

Having made a name for itself by electrifying some of the most celebrated classic cars in history, Lunaz is now focusing on upcycling, re-engineering and electrifying commercial vehicles, starting with refuse trucks.

The firm remanufactures the vehicle to remove the diesel engine, swapping for its own environmentally-friendly electric powertrain. At the same time, it upgrades the cabin to be safer and more ergonomic for the driver.

David Lorenz, founder and chief executive officer of Lunaz, believes that the most sustainable vehicle is the one that already exists, which is then upcycled to run on electric power. Read more from Lorenz on Lunaz here.