This week, the first electric garbage truck in the state of Maryland has been added to the City of Hyattsville’s vehicle fleet.

Made by Chinese manufacturer BYD Auto and Iowa-based Curbtender, the class 6 refuse truck has a 200 KWh battery, about double the capacity of the battery on a Tesla Model S, allowing it to go for an entire day without charging.

Public Works Director Lesley Riddle said in a statement that the zero-emissions truck will save on fuel costs and reduce the fumes inhaled by garbage collectors on the job.

“Hyattsville is going green and there’s no going back!” she said in a statement.

The city added an electric Chevrolet Bolt in 2017, the first electric police vehicle in the state and the first Bolt used as a police car in the country, and has other electric and hybrid vehicles in its fleet, including two electric motorcycles.

Electric vehicles are becoming more common on Route 1, with charging stations from Greenbelt to Mount Rainier, including two fast-charging stations at the Hyattsville municipal building at 4310 Gallatin St. that are available to the public.

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