The Peterbilt VST-52 EV bucket truck reduces diesel consumption and CO2 emissions with an electronic PTO to power its hydraulics.
This allows crews to use the e-PTO out in the field for as long as necessary without ever having to return to a home base to recharge it. If for any reason the truck’s battery goes dead, such as in very cold weather, the crew can con- tinue work by running the PTO off the diesel engine. BENEFITS OF ELECTRIC There are many reasons for arborists to go electric, from reduced emissions and noise to less maintenance and spending on fuel.
In 2022, Bobcat released the first all-elec- tric compact track loader, the T7X, fol- lowed by the first all-electric full-sized skid-steer loader, the S7X, in 2023. While electric power take-off (ePTO) technology for bucket trucks has been around for decades, its use for tree care was limited by the hydraulic demands of tree care work. In construction, a bucket can be raised to a given height and remain there for an extended period of time with the truck engine off. Arborists, on the oth-
Cleaner and greener The ability to reduce emissions is a ma- jor benefit of using electric equipment. Not only can it reduce your operation’s environmental footprint, but it can cre- ate more flexibility in where you can use the machines. Notably, plug-in and battery-powered electric machines can be safely used indoors. “There’s reduced pollution,” says Ryan Taylor, marketing coordinator for Met- sa Machines, which sells three-phase electric Japa firewood processors. “You can run it in more enclosed ar- eas. There’s a lot of positives that come along with being able to use three-phase electric.”
er hand, need to continuous- ly move their buckets during work. The truck’s engine must remain running to power this movement, resulting in heavy diesel use and continuous noise. In September 2023, Custom Truck One Source unveiled its Lightning PTO, an ePTO that al- lows a truck to use battery pow- er instead of the diesel motor to run. The system includes bat- teries and cooling capabilities that allow the truck and bucket to run 80% on electric and 20% on diesel, with the electric en- gine recharging via the short- term use of the diesel engine.
Quieter and safer Electric equipment is far quieter than traditional diesel and gaso- line engines, which provides ar- borists numerous benefits. One is less disturbance to both work- ers and local residents, whether they are human or wildlife. “I’ve worked on a farm before with peacocks and ducks, and be- cause we’re so quiet, I have had peacocks flying into a tree while I’m in it, just hanging out,” says
Bobcat’s all-electric full-sized S7X skid steer loader can operate for up to eight hours on a single charge and provides minimal vibration and nearly silent operation.
8 | ArborTIMES Spring 2024
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