The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grant, funded under the Targeted Airshed Grant Program, will be administered by the South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD), an agency responsible for improving air quality in an area around Los Angeles that’s home to 17 million people. Volvo CE received a similar grant in 2020 for battery-electric compact wheel loaders and excavators, and those zero-emission machines are now being used on jobsites throughout the U.S. and around the world.
The South Coast AQMD board approved the project earlier this summer, and details are being finalized.
“We’re excited to partner with South Coast AQMD and the EPA again, and we thank them for their support,” said Dr. Ray Gallant, Vice President — Sustainability and Productivity Solutions, Region North America, Volvo CE. “Off-road equipment is a significant source of pollution, and Volvo CE is committed to reducing the environmental impact of our products and our customers’ jobsites. Being an industry leader in developing sustainably powered machines is a big part of that, and so is partnering with organizations to bring about positive change.”
Volvo CE introduced the zero-emission DD25 Electric asphalt compactor earlier this year — its first electric machine for the road segment. The company announced at CONEXPO-CON/AGG that it opened preorders for the compactor in North America, with deliveries expected to start in early 2024.
The double-drum DD25 Electric is designed to meet or exceed the performance level of its diesel equivalent. For instance, its 24 kW of peak available power is 30% more than the conventional DD25B compactor, which results in a more responsive machine in terms of speed and vibrations. It also performs better on grade thanks to the size of its components and better at high elevations when compared to a diesel machine, which loses power as altitude increases.
The South Coast AQMD project will involve using the DD25 Electric in residential and commercial applications at a variety of locations in Southern California. The region has some of the worst air quality in the U.S., and the pilot project will support the agency’s mission to address particulate matter and nitrogen oxide emissions, including in environmental justice communities.
In addition to reducing harmful emissions by replacing diesel equipment with electric, paving projects could also help with the goal of reducing inhalable particulate matter from unpaved roadways in the Coachella Valley east of Los Angeles. South Coast AQMD is in the process of procuring a contractor for these projects.
"This partnership reaffirms our commitment to the use of zero-emissions technology across all business, industry and residential sectors, where feasible," said Wayne Nastri, Executive Officer of South Coast AQMD. “This project proves that cleaner technologies are available that are just as capable as their diesel equivalent but reduce emissions in our local communities."
“EPA is proud to be part of the solution in bringing zero-emissions technology to disadvantaged communities in the Coachella Valley,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. “This demonstration project shows what’s possible when government and industry work together to address air pollution and climate change.”
An earlier pilot project in California showed that Volvo CE electric construction equipment could both reduce emissions and meet the performance needs of contractors and government fleets in multiple applications. Now, the company’s battery-electric wheel loaders and excavators have been commercially available in North America for over a year, with customers confirming their high performance and reduced emissions, noise and maintenance.
Volvo CE has one of the industry’s largest lineups of electric machines, with the DD25 Electric compactor being the newest addition and a 23-ton electric excavator in pilot trials before becoming available next year.
For more information about the DD25 Electric, visit www.volvoce.com/united-states/en-us/products/electric-machines/dd25-electric.