Battery storage system for electric refuse vehicle

A refuse vehicle, comprising:

• a chassis;
• a body assembly coupled to the chassis, the body assembly defining a refuse compartment;
• a first tailgate detachably coupled to the body and including a battery compartment;
• and
• an electric energy system, the electric energy system comprising one or more first battery cells and control hardware, wherein at least one battery cell of the one or more first battery cells are coupled within the battery compartment of the first tailgate and are accessible by a door in the first tailgate;
• and
• wherein the first tailgate includes a detachable electrical connection between the battery compartment and the body assembly;
• wherein at least one of the one or more first battery cells of the electric energy system are replaceable by at least one of (i) swapping the first tailgate for a second tailgate having one or more second battery cells or (ii) swapping the at least one battery cell for a different battery cell.