BYD (Build Your Dreams) announced that the City of Ocala, Fla., will add five Class 8 battery-electric refuse trucks to its fleet, making it one of the first cities in Florida to adopt BYD’s zero-emission technology. The trucks will be assembled in the United States with union labor.

The Ocala City Council pre-approved the 2021 purchase of three electric BYD refuse trucks and will buy two more in 2022. The BYD vehicles will replace older-model internal combustion trucks currently in use.

Ocala officials estimate the operation of BYD trucks will result in fuel cost savings of nearly 78%. In addition, with fewer moving parts making them less costly to maintain, the city estimates there will be a cost savings of nearly 75% in maintenance costs. The BYD trucks are estimated to provide a total life cycle savings to Ocala of approximately $270,000 and a return on the taxpayers’ investment in under five years, according to the company.