Sales launch of the first fully electric sewer cleaning vehicle

May 30, 2022 – With the construction of the electric sewer cleaning vehicle, the companies Designwerk and Kaiser enable the ecological operation of another resource-intensive special application – sewer cleaning. With the combination of the innovative technologies of the partner companies, a full-fledged replacement of the diesel suction truck version is possible. The first vehicles will ensure clean sewers from mid-2023.

The Swiss electromobility company Designwerk and the Liechtenstein sewer cleaning vehicle specialist Kaiser are jointly electrifying the AquaStar sewer cleaning vehicle. The technically demanding project is only becoming feasible thanks to Designwerk ‘s many years of experience in the electrification of special utility vehicles and Kaiser’s expertise. The collaboration between the two partners thus results in the first all-electric sewer cleaning vehicle that fully replaces its diesel counterpart in technical terms, with no restrictions in operation.

A technical and ecological pioneer
With a battery capacity of up to 508 kilowatt hours, the Designwerk Mid Cab Sewer Cleaner, as the new Designwerk vehicle is called, allows daily operation for up to 8 hours without intermediate charging. Following operation, the e-suction truck can be fully recharged with a charging capacity of up to 350 kW. Two high-performance PTOs are responsible for the stable high pumping power, which is unique on the market to date. A continuous power of 104 kW each and a peak power of 125 kW each make this vehicle the most powerful solution among alternative drives.

The technically innovative vehicle with the Aquastar body from Kaiser is a pioneer on the ecological side: a sophisticated water recovery technology drastically reduces water consumption. The all-electric drive saves up to 21,000 liters of diesel per year. After the first year of operation, the all-electric sewer cleaning vehicle already achieves a positive CO2 balance. Within ten years, the vehicle consumes between 51% and 77% less CO2 than a suction truck with conventional drive, depending on the regional electricity mix.

Special application from 2023 on the road
With the signing of an exclusive cooperation agreement, the AquaStar sewer cleaning vehicles can already be ordered. A first pilot production vehicle is expected in Q3 2023. With this development, Designwerk and Kaiser are once again proving their level of innovation and ensuring that electric driving becomes possible in this special application.