New electric bin lorry takes to the streets of Kettering, Corby, Wellingborough and Rushden

The all-electric vehicle has been tried and tested on routes and will carry out the same role as the previous diesel vehicle and residents shouldn’t see much difference, apart from a quieter vehicle doing the rounds.

Over the vehicle’s lifetime, it should save 60,000 litres of diesel and £75,000 in fuel costs.

Cllr Matt Binley, the council’s executive member for highways, travel and assets, said: “The arrival of this new electric vehicle is a step towards a cleaner and quieter waste fleet and will help us become carbon neutral by 2030.

“Switching away from diesel is a great way to reduce our emissions, not to mention the cost savings across the vehicle’s lifetime.

“During the vehicle’s trial, I completed a shift with the waste team and can confirm that residents should not notice any difference, except the new vehicle is much quieter.”

Council leader Jason Smithers said: “Waste collection is one of our services that everyone uses and it’s important that we look at how we can make it more environmentally friendly.

“This new electric vehicle is part of our wider plans to be greener and meet our carbon neutral targets.”

The new vehicle is part of a wider scheme to make the fleet more environmentally friendly, with the council also trialling the use of hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) in some bin lorries that would have previously used diesel.

HVO is a fuel that can be a direct drop-in replacement for diesel, meaning no modifications are required to the vehicles and it can offer up to 90 per cent

reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

North Northamptonshire Council’s carbon management plan is available to view online.