All-Electric Machinery

With a slew of new electric construction equipment launches in 2020, OEMs are getting serious about clean emission machines for both specialised and general applications.

JCB’s electric tipper is perfect for indoor work.

With electric vehicles becoming mainstream in the passenger vehicle market, and a number of manufacturers offering and developing electric commercial vehicles, how fast will the same trend develop in the construction equipment industry? Many OEMs have been selling electric machines for years across sectors including MEWPs, mini-excavators and a wide range of mining equipment.

But the last two years have also seen an acceleration of electric CE in new segments, such as Liebherr’s LB 16 drilling rig, JCB’s one-tonne site dumper and Case Construction Equipment’s backhoe loader. When it comes to electrification, while electric motors are simpler than diesel ones and provide excellent torque, the biggest headache for machine developers is the battery pack. The challenge for OEMs is electrification of mid-size to large machines, which need serious power, and where fitting large battery packs is a challenge for machine designers.

Other challenges for the industry include economies of scale and standardisation. While automotive manufacturers electrifying vehicles can get discounts on battery purchases for bulk orders, construction equipment manufacturers order far fewer batteries, increasing the average cost for end users.

In the GCC, some contractors are already using electric machines for certain jobs, especially for indoor work such as in warehousing, facilities management or industrial sites with other workers nearby. Broader adoption is likely to hinge on a number of factors – the value proposition of the machines themselves, such as reliability and cost of ownership; perception of electric machines; and whether there is a drive from municipalities and other authorities, such as a preference for electric machines on jobs in residential areas. As is often the case, GCC contractors can be expected to follow trends in overseas markets like the US, Europe and Japan, rather than take lead.

But the biggest factors will be the machines that OEMs bring to market, and whether contractors can see a clear cost benefit to electric machines.

Case Construction Equipment

In 2020, Case revealed Project Zeus, the construction industry’s first fully electric backhoe loader. The concept machine, the 580 EV, has the same power and performance as the equivalent diesel-powered Case backhoe loader, and is planned to remain exclusive to the North American market. Two machines have already been sold to US utilities companies.

The 580 EV is powered by a 480-volt, 90-kilowatt hour lithium-ion battery pack, enough for around eight hours of runtime depending on the application. As the battery powers the drivetrain and hydraulic motors separately, breakout force is the same as a diesel-powered machine and overall performance is improved during simultaneous loader and drivetrain operation. Apart from cutting carbon footprint, it is estimated that that the 580 EV could save fleets up to 90% in annual vehicle operating costs, through reduced spend on diesel, engine oil, diesel exhaust fluid and long-term engine maintenance.

Volvo Construction Equipment

Volvo CE has been one of the most active manufacturers in the race to electrify, and sister company Volvo Trucks also plans to launch a commercially available electric semi truck.

The Volvo ECR25 Electric is a highly practical mini excavator, the first in a new range of electric compact excavators. Its zero-tail swing radius design means it can work in confined spaces, and with zero emissions the need for costly fume extraction systems is eliminated in indoor jobs, such as basement groundworks and building demolition.

It’s also seriously comfortable for the driver due to extreme responsiveness, low noise, lack of vibration and emissions, and less dust blow. Its run time is up to four hours, and its off-board fast-charging can do an 80% recharge in one hour.

Volvo CE has also launched its Volvo L25 electric wheel loader, a 5t payload loader with an eight-hour operating charge and standard and fast-charging options. It offers a similar performance to a diesel machine, but is far quieter.

JCB

British manufacturer JCB has had a busy year, releasing a number of new electric machines, including a telehandler and a site dumper, as well as new power charging stations. These are by no means the first electric machines for JCB, but they are a big step forward.

The 525-60E is a fully electric version of the popular Loadall, with the same performance as the standard diesel machine. It offers a zero-emissions load handling solution to construction, industrial and agricultural customers. Key features include dual electric motors for drive and lift, delivering increased efficiency; brake regeneration to boost battery charge; regenerative hydraulics to increase efficiency; and full shift operation capability.

The company also released its first electric site dumper, a 1t high-tip model. It replaces the individual wheel motors of the hydrostatic 1T-2 with conventional drive axles and a drop box to provide full-time all-wheel drive, with a 7kW hydraulic motor delivering drive to the drop box, while a second hydraulic pump is used to power the machine’s standard hydraulic circuit, for steering and skip lift.

The company also has a new range of JCB power stations, used by contractors or rental companies to recharge machines on-site. That includes positioning the charger in emissions-sensitive areas, such as indoors or on tunnelling projects, to provide a zero-emission recharge.

Liebherr

German manufacturer Liebherr has a number of electric machines, including a range of large mining equipment. Notably, its LB 16 is the first battery-powered drilling rig in the world. The 55t foundation machine can be operated via mains power or battery, and faces no restrictions in performance and application compared to the conventional version, with maximum drilling diameter of 1,500mm and drilling depth of 34.5m. With no diesel engine, the machine is significantly quieter and produces no emissions, at a time when cities are introducing strict work-site regulations.

The battery is designed to last a full 10-hour working day and can be recharged using conventional electric supply; with a 125A supply, the battery can be fast-charged in seven hours, allowing the machine to be used for a full day then charged overnight. The integrated battery blocks are mounted on the uppercarriage.

Wacker Neuson

Best known for its work tools, Wacker Neuson’s electric series includes a wheel loader, track and wheel dumper, miniexcavator and batterypowered rammer, batterypowered plates, and an internal vibrator system for concrete consolidation. Key machines include the DW15e, an articulated electric wheel dumper with four-wheel drive and a payload of up to 1.5t, while the EZ17e is an electric mini-excavator with zero tail swing.

For tools, a single battery is compatible with seven different hand tools, including three battery-powered rammers, three vibratory plates and an internal vibrator system.

Hitachi

Japanese manufacturer Hitachi has a large range of specialised electric machines, most notably large mining trucks and mining excavators. Electric engines massively reduce wear costs, including engine maintenance and of course diesel. Machines of huge size require large electrical sources, with excavators often fed by cables, while the large dumpers often run on trolley systems. Hitachi also has a range of electrical material handling machines, for use in sites such as salvage yards and dumps.