GPSJ WINTER 2023 2024 LATEST - Flipbook - Page 44
GPSJ
ELECTRIC VEHICLES
Lunaz upcycled electric refuse trucks
get green light to operate across London
• Lunaz upcycled electric vehicles (UEVs) achieve the highest Direct Vision Standard
(DVS) for driver visibility
• Responds to ongoing demand from London borough councils
• New tech maximises vision for operators; makes streets safer for pedestrians, cyclists
and other road users
• Lunaz UEVs ready for deployment in the capital and other metropolitan areas
• Supports long-term plan to increase production to 1,100 UEVs per year
Lunaz begins 2024 in a
strong position to continue
its journey towards producing
1,100 upcycled electric vehicles
(UEVs) a year, with confirmation
that its upcycled refuse trucks
achieve the highest five-star
Direct Vision Standard (DVS)
rating for driver visibility.
The DVS has been developed
by researchers, academics and
representatives from the freight
industry, Europe’s leading HGV
manufacturers and regulatory
bodies. Vehicles are rated from
zero stars (poor) up to five stars
(excellent).
The DVS five-star rating for Lunaz
UEVs is significant because under
Transport for London (TfL) rules,
HGV operators can apply for a
permit without needing to provide
any additional evidence. However,
from 28 October 2024, HGVs rated
zero to two stars will need to be
retro-fitted with a Progressive Safe
System.
The five-star rating clears the way
44
for Lunaz UEVs to enter service
in London without any further
documents or modifications being
required.
Safety in focus
As a ‘better than new’ upcycled
electric vehicle, each Lunaz refuse
truck is equipped with a suite of
technologies to help drivers see
around the vehicle from all angles.
The external camera monitoring
system comprises two assemblies
containing three cameras mounted
on the top corners of the vehicle,
which send images to screens on
the dashboard display. The original
wing mirrors are replaced with
digitised versions that eliminate rear
and blind spots around the UEV.
Unlike standard mirrors, these
mirrors operate under all conditions,
including rain, snow and total
darkness, dramatically increasing
visibility and safety. The driver
can also see what’s directly in
front of and below the vehicle via
a dedicated downward-facing
camera.
In addition to the cameras
and mirrors, an object detection
system instantly picks out cyclists,
pedestrians and other potential
hazards, alerting the driver via the
dashboard display screen.
Looking ahead
The green light for service in London
is another major step towards the
wider adoption of Lunaz UEVs by
local authorities as replacements for
their end-of-life diesel refuse trucks.
By reusing and recycling existing
vehicles, Lunaz seeks to break the
destructive replace-with-new cycle,
preventing unnecessary landfill
and minimising the overall lifetime
environmental impact of operating
commercial vehicle fleets. A Lunaz
UEV is cleaner and better equipped
than an all-new electric equivalent,
while the restoration and conversion
process captures more than 80% of
its embedded carbon.
GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC SECTOR JOURNAL WINTER 2023/2024
Better for the taxpayer
It can also deliver a 25% lifetime
capital saving over its as-new
equivalent, providing greater value
for money for local authorities,
business operators and taxpayers.
Indeed, over a normal seven year
life-cycle a Lunaz UEV matches a
polluting diesel refuse truck for ‘Total
Cost of Ownership’ (TCO) meaning
Local Authorities and private
operators can make the transition
to zero emissions vehicles without
pressurising existing budgets
Lunaz has pioneered commercial
vehicle upcycling and electrification,
a sector predicted to grow tenfold
over the next five years, driven by
the global transition to net zero
and clean-air mobility. Lunaz itself
expects to employ 350 staff by
the end of 2024 – up from just five
when it was founded in 2018 – in
pursuit of its stated long-term goal of
producing 1,100 vehicles per year.
“From the outset, we’ve
built our upcycled electric
refuse trucks to meet the
DVS five-star standard for
driver visibility- the highest
available. This accreditation
enables operators to obtain
an HGV permit from London
boroughs without any further
documentary evidence or
vehicle modifications. It’s
also in line with Mayor Sadiq
Khan’s pledge to eliminate
road deaths in London by
2041. Having our UEVs fully
prepared for operation in
the capital is an import
step towards widespread
adoption. They’re cheaper and
better-equipped than their
all-new electric equivalents,
representing greater value
for money for local taxpayers,
alongside the environmental
benefits of our clean-air
technology and upcycling
process. It also means we’re
heading into 2024 in a strong
position to continue our
journey towards a projected
production capacity of 1,100
vehicles a year.”
David Lorenz, Founder,
Lunaz