Building roads and infrastructure with Electric excavator

Volvo electric construction equipment

Electric roads and infrastructure

Reliable infrastructure supported by electric construction

Roads and other infrastructure are traditionally large emitters of carbon, not only in their construction but also in their day-to-day use. This makes it a challenging sector to decarbonize, but also one that offers the greatest possibilities to take sustainable action.

It is so important to have a safe, reliable and efficient network of roads, bridges, railways and airports – a network that keeps people and goods moving, especially as we become ever more global and interconnected. But as we look towards a more sustainable future, it is essential to build these civil engineering projects with a lighter carbon footprint. Low carbon technologies, like electromobility, as well as sustainable materials, are key to making this happen. For the building, delivery and maintenance of these roads and infrastructure, electric construction equipment holds the answer.

Construction work on roads, such as site preparation, earthmoving, compacting, paving and finishing, can all benefit from the zero exhaust emissions and near silence provided by electric construction machines. Maintenance applications such as road clearing, motorway inspection, shoulder improvements and reinforcements all benefit too – ensuring a more pleasant environment for those working or passing nearby. And it is not just roads: so too the construction of heavier infrastructure, such as building bridges, railways, dams, waterways, harbours, tunnels and pipe laying.

The huge variety of tasks in this civil engineering segment also means an entire fleet of different construction equipment is often needed – from small compact machines through to general purpose excavators, wheel loaders and haulers. The industry now provides a versatile range of exhaust emission free solutions to keep our roads and thoroughfares moving: a network powerful and sustainable enough to maintain the infrastructure needs for today and tomorrow.

Electric wheel loader and truck at Hartlepool

Delivering the UK’s first low carbon road project

A pioneering partnership between Volvo CE, Tarmac - a CRH company - and UK local authorities, including Hartlepool Borough Council and Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council, proved the potential to reduce carbon emissions in highway maintenance work and in doing so developed a blueprint for the future. A combination of low carbon materials and techniques, as well as the use of exhaust emission free construction equipment helped to cut carbon by up to 80% compared to projects using traditional methods, and without using carbon offsetting.

Electric machines on low carbon road maintenance project

Multiple electric vehicles required to decarbonize roads

Three electric machines from Volvo CE were responsible for working on the maintenance of a highway in Durham, UK. The L120H Electric Conversion wheel loader, L25 Electric compact wheel loader and EC230 Electric mid-size excavator were tested over three separate days. Also on site was a Volvo FM Electric truck from Volvo Trucks and an all-electric ready mix concrete mixer from Renault Trucks. The collective power of reliable electric solutions showed that it is possible to do more and achieve more when we ensure an holistic electric ecosystem is provided, to help cut carbon emissions across the board. The learnings from this project will inevitably inform further decarbonization across the local and strategic road networks.

Accelerating progress through collaboration

This pioneering initiative demonstrates what is possible already today and creates a new benchmark for the future of road maintenance. What is more it demonstrates the strength of an holistic end-to-end partnership - not only with leading industry players and forward-thinking customers, but with municipalities too, to drive sustainable progress in hard-to-abate areas. It is part of a strategic partnership that Volvo CE holds with CRH to help them lead by example in the implementation of electrification, charging infrastructure, low carbon fuels and renewable energy.

Partnership with CRH

Electric mid-size wheel loader delivered to Netherlands

Sustainable progress in action in the Netherlands

The 20-tonne L120H Electric Conversion wheel loader is in hot demand in the Netherlands and has been working to support KWS, a Dutch company which specializes in sustainable infrastructure projects. The mid-size marvel has proved it has the power and performance to move material and complete a variety of other road and infrastructure tasks but with the added benefit of zero exhaust emissions, near silence and more comfortable operation. With increased use of mid-size electric machines, a reduced carbon footprint need not compromise on high productivity.

See our range of electric solutions

Preparing worksites for electric

Building bicycle road with Electric excavator

Building a bicycle and pedestrian road with electric

The City of Helsinki is building a bicycle and pedestrian road just beside a subway trail. As part of the requirements for its construction, the city included an electric compact excavator as a demand, but offered a bonus if a bigger electric excavator could be used. Enter the 23-tonne EC230 Electric. Not only is it able to deliver the zero exhaust emissions required, but contractor Tieluiska has been very satisfied with its performance. It has been able to dig solid moraine and huge rocks and what is more, it has been able to do so with a much cheaper operation than diesel.

Electric construction on Bristol airport

Bristol Airport uses electric construction to decarbonize

An EC230 Electric mid-size excavator proved it had the power to complete the toughest of tasks when supported with solid planning and reliable charging infrastructure. The 23-tonne zero exhaust emission machine was the first step in customer Chepstow’s long-term objective to move away from diesel towards electric operation. Over seven weeks the machine carried out tasks ranging from loading the crusher to moving and breaking up large rocks in this large-scale public transport interchange transformation for Bristol Airport.

EC230 Electric at work at Bristol Airport

Volvo CE pioneers e-shuttle service to cut transport emissions

Reducing carbon in the delivery of machines

The distribution of our compact construction machines from one of our facilities in Belley, France, benefited from a pioneering electric shuttle service to help reduce CO₂ emissions during the first leg of their road journey to customers. In a successful trial, Volvo CE machines were loaded onto an 100% electric Volvo FH Electric truck to be taken to nearby Lyon, from where they would continue their onward journey. It proved that by putting to work zero exhaust emission technology in a smart way, we can deliver solutions that take us a step beyond the initial introduction of electric vehicles.

E-Shuttle service to cut CO₂

Electric construction helping to decarbonize motorsport

We are partnering with the World Rallycross (World RX) Championship to help deliver a more sustainable way of working across both motorsport and construction. Volvo’s zero exhaust emission solutions, such as the L25 Electric, ECR25 Electric and L120 Electric, are working to transform these sectors by ensuring a lower carbon operation in the building, design and maintenance of these world class race tracks. Not only are these electric solutions proving to have a lighter footprint but they are also up to the task of maintaining all the thrill and excitement of racing that is matched by the electric rallycross cars themselves.

Our electric construction equipment

EC18 Electric

ECR18 Electric

ECR25 Electric

L20 Electric

L25 Electric

Zero emission construction

Why go electric?

Benefits with electric within road and infrastructure

Benefits of electric within roads and infrastructure

We may not be able to have a say on whether or not the vehicles driving on our roads are electric, but we can help with the machines helping to build them. Electric construction equipment offers so many advantages to road and infrastructure projects - not least helping to decarbonize a segment that is known for high levels of carbon emissions. Electric wheel loaders and excavators can have an important role in also driving down noise pollution on these projects, creating a much more pleasant environment for those working and passing nearby.

Discover more benefits with electric construction

Charging in roads and infrastructure projects

Road and infrastructure projects may benefit from a reliable and readily available power source nearby - such as for inner city maintenance jobs or street clearing - making it easy to just plug in a fast or slow charger to power up as and when required. However it is also likely that these projects can take place in areas where there is no existing infrastructure or a weak power supply. Here, customers can take advantage of mobile power banks such as the PU40 for compact machines or the PU500 for larger equipment.

Charging construction equipment

Runtime calculator

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CO₂ savings calculator

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Electric construction equipment - for all applications

Landscaping

Electric landscaping

Providing zero exhaust emissions, low noise and a more comfortable and peaceful operation, electric construction machines are ideal for the landscaping segment. For applications where customers need to maintain a sensitive environment, such as landscaping and horticulture, these solutions are a perfect partner for maintaining the natural world with no harmful pollutants.

Electric landscaping

Building and demolition

Electric building and demolition

Whether working inside or outside, electric machines are a versatile solution for the sheer variety of applications that are needed across the building and demolition segment. Providing all the power and performance to get the job done with accuracy and efficiency, electric construction equipment has the added advantage of near silent operation and zero exhaust emissions.

Electric building and demolition

Municipalities

Electric municipalities

Cities and municipalities have the potential to inspire and motivate others to join the electric transformation by adopting more sustainable methods across their own construction projects. Sometimes at the forefront of climate change efforts, they are understandably eager to improve their own impact on the environment. Electric machines are the ideal solution for low carbon operation.

Electric municipalities