The ‘coolest thing’ made in Tennessee? An electric truck that hauls trash

Trash and recycling pickup may soon become cleaner and safer.  A company specialized in work vehicles plans to manufacture fully electric refuse trucks in Tennessee.

“This is the first zero-emission, purpose-built refuse collection vehicle in North America,” said Lee Dreas, president of McNeilus Truck and Manufacturing.

Safety was core to the design, as waste collection is a hazardous occupation: In 2023, the industry ranked fourth in the nation for the most fatalities annually, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

The new truck includes collision avoidance, automatic braking and 360-degree cameras, as well as occupation-specific gear to help navigate cul-de-sacs and narrow alleys. 

“The operator has an enhanced field of vision to see what’s happening in the environment around it, taking away a lot of those traditional dangers,” Dreas said.

McNeilus is part of the Oshkosh Corporation, which makes everything from military vehicles to firetrucks, and has operations across the U.S. The refuse truck, called the Volterra ZSL, will be manufactured at the company’s plant in Murfreesboro. 

For the design, the company recently won “The Coolest Thing Made in Tennessee” award, an annual competition run by the Tennessee Manufacturers Association and supported by the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The association showcases local manufacturing, which is a top economic sector in the state. In 2024, the sector employed more than 360,000 people.