Commerce City, Colorado, officials joined Republic Services and Xcel Energy representatives for a ribbon-cutting event at the Commerce City Civic Center to mark the launch of a fully electric recycling and waste collection fleet. The deployment represents a milestone in the city’s clean energy and sustainability efforts.
“This transition reflects our commitment to protecting public health while delivering essential services efficiently,” said Commerce City Mayor Steve Douglas. “As the first city in Adams County and the largest in Colorado to adopt a fully electric collection fleet, we are putting our Sustainability Action Plan into action.”
Electric Fleet Deployment
By the end of 2026, Commerce City expects to operate 19 electric collection trucks, with more than 300 deployed nationwide by Republic Services. The electric fleet is designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, lower noise levels during collection, and improve local air quality.
Commerce City provides residential trash and recycling service to all single-family homes and duplexes within city limits at no additional cost to residents.
“Commerce City and Republic Services share a strong focus on sustainability,” said Mark Petrovich, area senior manager for municipal sales at Republic Services. “With support from Xcel Energy, we were able to accelerate the transition to electric collection vehicles.”
Vehicle Technology And Safety
The fleet consists of McNeilus Volterra electric recycling and waste collection trucks. The vehicles are EPA-certified for zero tailpipe emissions and were developed with operational input from Republic Services.
Safety features include 360-degree camera systems, expanded windshield visibility, lane-departure alerts, automated braking, and audible warning systems to alert pedestrians and motorists during operation.
Charging Infrastructure And Partnerships
The fleet rollout was supported by new charging infrastructure at Republic Services’ Commerce City facility. The site includes advanced charging stations capable of supporting simultaneous charging of multiple electric vehicles.
Republic Services partnered with Xcel Energy on the infrastructure deployment and received rebates and technical support through the utility’s Clean Transportation EVSI program.
“This was the largest project completed under our Clean Transportation EVSI program,” said Robert Kenney, president of Xcel Energy Colorado. “It supports emissions reduction while helping communities transition to cleaner transportation.”
Republic Services currently operates more than 150 electric recycling and waste collection vehicles across North America as part of its broader fleet electrification strategy.
