Fife Council recently purchased 11 Mercedes-Benz Econic 2630L trucks for refuse collection. Each of the 6x2 rigids features a 220-kilowatt (295-horsepower) 7.7-litre engine, a rear-steer axle, and Farid Hillend Engineering compactor bodywork. They also feature Allison transmissions with standard “revised ECO programme software,” which Fife recently trialled and received mile per gallon “gains of more than 8%,” Mercedes-Benz says. The new refuse haulers join a 40-vehicle fleet that only includes three trucks from other marques.
Fife Council also selected the Econic due to the various standard safety features, including a panoramic windscreen, glazed side door, and low seating position, all of which improve driver visibility. Active Brake Assist 4 is another standout standard feature and includes emergency braking technology.
Benefits Of The Mercedes-Benz Econic
“Increased economy is clearly a very welcome benefit, but the Econic is the best truck on the market for this application in plenty of other respects, too,” says Sandy Anderson, waste operations service manager for Fife Council. “Most of ours are double-shifted for up to seven days a week and they stand up to a long, tough working life extremely well. The low floor means the driver and operatives can get in and out of their respective sides of the vehicle very easily, using just one step. Meanwhile the excellent visibility from the driver’s seat enhances safety for other road users as well as our crews, and the fact that the cab is air-conditioned makes a tough job that bit more comfortable and less tiring, particularly during summer.”
The Econic Up Close
The versatile Econic platform is highly configurable, with four axle variants ranging from 18 to 32 tonnes in gross weight. It comes in low and high cab versions with wheelbases of 3,450 to 5,700 millimetres. Either the leading or the trailing axles can be steerable. Each axle has a full air suspension that is adjustable for height. Mercedes-Benz outfits the Econic line with 7.7-litre, inline six-cylinder engines. Diesel-burning models range from 272 to 354 hp (200 to 260 kW).
An alternative that runs on natural gas or biogas produces 302 hp (225 kW) and comes with a low 80 dBA noise rating. Besides the Allison automatic mentioned above, Mercedes also offers the Econic with a semi-automated PowerShift transmission with 12 forward and four reverse gears.
You will find a large selection of new and used Mercedes-Benz trucks, including Econic models, for sale every day on TruckLocator.