Story by: Zoe Marcum, FS Communications Student Assistant
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville is always looking for new ways to support a cleaner, smarter, and more efficient campus environment. This year, Facilities Services is taking a major step forward with the introduction of nine, large all-electric utilities and recycling vehicles, some of the first of their kind in the state of Tennessee. These trucks represent more than new equipment; they’re the result of significant collaboration, innovative engineering, and a shared commitment to sustainability that stretches far beyond Rocky Top. For a campus that never stops moving, these vehicles are built to keep up.
Recycling trucks are heavy-duty machines that spend their days in constant stop-and-go motion, lifting, compacting, and hauling materials across UTK’s busy footprint. Traditionally, diesel engines were the only option. Electric-powered heavy-duty trucks are now changing the equation. These new vehicles use electric motors paired with hydraulic systems to handle every lift, compression, and pickup along their routes.
The trucks are also equipped with lift axles to improve efficiency and reduce wear, especially on tight campus routes. Because electric motors don’t idle, the vehicles stay quiet and efficient during stationary work. Where a diesel engine would burn fuel, generate noise, and put unnecessary wear and tear on the engine, the electric system uses that pause to its advantage, conserving energy and reducing overall operating costs.
In addition, the truck’s large 499 kWh battery pack can fully charge in 30 to 45 minutes using direct current fast charging (DCFC) and deliver up to 200 miles of range, or roughly 110 “picks,” the industry term for each stop, yet can also refuel overnight using a slower AC-based “Level 2” charging. The remaining 8 electric vehicles that will join the fleet have 240 kWh battery packs, perfectly suited for the work they’ll do.
Students, staff, and faculty will notice the difference immediately. Electric trucks operate far more quietly than their diesel counterparts, making early morning routes less disruptive across academic buildings, residence halls, and pedestrian areas. The trucks also feature an onboard route-planning system that calculates the most efficient path based on charge, remaining stops, and nearby charging. This helps drivers stay on schedule while maximizing battery performance. In the event of a campus power outage, some of these electric vehicles can even serve as mobile power banks. Their battery systems are capable of exporting energy externally, providing temporary power where it’s needed most.
Bringing these vehicles to campus was made possible through a $3 million grant from the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), with the Student Environmental Initiatives Fund contributing $315,000 and UT Facilities Services covering the remaining costs of about $700,000. The partnership reflects a shared goal: proving that electric heavy-duty vehicles can thrive in real-world, high-demand environments, and UTK is an ideal testing ground! With a relatively small footprint to operate in, predictable routes, centralized charging, and a campus culture that values sustainability, the university offers TDEC the perfect proof of concept environment.
One of the trucks is a testament to Tennessee’s manufacturing strength. The front loader truck will be built from the ground up as an electric vehicle in Murfreesboro where McNeilus builds their “Volterra” all-electric refuse trucks and will be one of the first purpose-built EV recycling trucks in the state. Even the wheels carry a local connection, made using aluminum from Alcoa, Tennessee. It’s a statewide effort to power a campus-wide impact.
In addition to this vehicle, the Facilities Services Utilities team will benefit greatly from the grant, receiving a digger derrick (used for pulling electrical cables and installing electrical and light poles), a bucket truck (used for doing work overhead on electrical lines, trees, or buildings), a road tractor (used for hauling large trailers with any number of items on them including heavy equipment, barricades, backup HVAC units, baled recyclables, or any type of cargo), a dump truck, and a service truck with a welder and small crane (for doing in-field repairs on equipment and vehicles and hauling supplies). Together, these additions represent a significant investment in modernizing campus infrastructure while advancing the university’s commitment to sustainability, efficiency, and forward-thinking operations.
The grant submittal itself was a labor of love, shaped through close collaboration between East Tennessee Clean Fuels Coalition which is part of the Institute for a Secure and Sustainable Environment in the Tickle College of Engineering, and UT Facilities Services. Together, these partners worked to bring the vision from concept to campus reality. When these electric titans roll out across campus, they will bring more than cutting-edge technology – they will be mammoth-sized, physical representation of UT Knoxville’s commitment to innovation, sustainability, and collaboration. From TDEC’s support to Tennessee-made components, this project showcases what’s possible when partners come together with a shared vision.