Electric street sweepers will soon clean a street near you thanks to partnerships with Ideanomics’s US Hybrid and Global Environment Products. Together, they will manufacture electric-powered vehicles that keep streets clean while reducing carbon emissions.
Like their gas-powered predecessors, these new vehicles will sanitize streets to prevent flooding and contaminated run-off into waterways. However, these models will do so without launching harmful brush dust or fossil-fuel carbon emissions into the air. In addition, the trucks are much quieter, an electrification benefit many city residents will surely appreciate.
Ideanomics’ mission is to use existing electric vehicle technology to power commercial electrification with a positive impact on clean air and water. In 2021, The company bought US Hybrid, a business known for electric solutions for large commercial vehicles and equipment.
“I look forward to the accelerated commercialization and innovation US Hybrid will bring to Ideanomics’ ecosystem,” said Alf Poor, Ideanomics CEO, in a statement. “It will benefit businesses, communities around the world, and, more importantly, our planet.”
Next, the bolstered firm partnered with Global Environmental Projects (GEP) — already known for launching New York City’s first hybrid electric sweeper.
This collaboration opened the doors to larger-scale manufacturing and distribution. What’s the goal? Bring electric street sweepers to cities across the U.S.
“We care about our environment and believe in designing and building environmentally responsible products,” said Walter Pusic, GEP president. “Our long-standing relationship with US Hybrid ensures that we always have the most evolved, zero-emission technology available to us to ensure we can provide our customers state of the art zero emission technology they are looking for.”
Right now, the company is working on 17 electric street sweepers for California. They will head to the state’s Department of Transportation for use statewide. New York City will receive an additional 30 hybrid sweepers and seven completely electric versions. Orders from other cities include three for Washington, D.C., two for Helena, MT, and two for South San Francisco, CA.
With each electric street sweeper preventing 90 metric tons of carbon from entering the atmosphere — equal to taking 19 cars off the road annually — the impact of a fully electrified fleet across the country is massive. This transition is likely to be a critical part of helping the U.S. reach its net-zero emissions by 2050 goal.
“Together with GEP, we are providing customers across the U.S. with made-in-America zero-emission street sweepers featuring the best available technology pioneered by US Hybrid,” said Robin Mackie, then Ideanomics Mobility president and current chief operating officer.”This order, one of the biggest to date, reflects a simple truth — zero-emission street sweepers are better for the planet, communities, and the bottom line.”
