King County received a first look at its new Kenworth T680Ebattery-electric vehicle at the Kenworth Renton manufacturing plant. 

A special ceremony featured King County executive Dow Constantine; Pat McLaughlin, King County Solid Waste Division director; Jim Walenczak, Kenworth assistant GM for sales and marketing; Bryan Sitko, Kenworth assistant GM for operations; and Kelly Hall, Washington state director of Climate Solutions. Also in attendance were Renton Mayor Armondo Pavone, Darrin Child, Kenworth Renton plant manager, and Mitch Hatfield, GM of Papé Kenworth for the Northwest and Alaska. 

“We are once again catalyzing new markets to accelerate the transition to zero-emission fleets, this time with reliable heavy-duty trucks built right here in King County,” said Constantine. “By leveraging the purchasing power of one of the nation’s largest counties, we are proving to manufacturers that there is strong demand for vehicles that cut greenhouse gas emissions, lower maintenance costs, improve air quality, and reduce noise pollution.” 

King County’s Solid Waste Division will operate the Kenworth T680E to transfer refuse from the county’s recycling and transfer station in Enumclaw to the Cedar Hills Regional Landfill in Maple Valley. King County purchased the Class 8 Kenworth battery-electric vehicle through PapéKenworth Northwest – SeaTac.

“We’re entering a new and exciting time in the trucking industry,” said Walenzcak. “It was great to meet with King County representatives and take them on a tour to show how these new battery electric vehicles are built at the Kenworth Renton plant. We thank King County for its business and look forward to seeing this new Kenworth T680E on the road.”

In 2020, King County announced its Strategic Climate Action Plan that sets goals directed at cutting greenhouse emissions in half by the end of the decade. To help accomplish this goal, King County plans to continue to add zero emissions vehicles to its fleet.

“The Kenworth Renton plant and its employees have a major role in our efforts to provide new zero emissions battery electric vehicles to the marketplace,” said Sitko. “Kenworth has built trucks in the Seattle area since 1923 and it is exciting to take this important technological leap forward.”

The T680E is designed for pickup and delivery, regional haul and drayage applications, and is available as a day cab as either a tractor or straight truck. The T680E has an 82,000-lb. gross vehicle weight rating and estimated 150-mile operating range, depending on application.