Volvo Electric Equipment: New Opportunities for Heavy Equipment Jobs

One of the things I find myself saying quite often about our new Volvo electric excavator and wheel loader and our concept machines is that we don’t even know yet all the interesting ways they could be used. The benefits of these machines are so new and exciting that it’s important to keep an open mind about the applications for which electric equipment will be best suited.

Still, we know several applications that will be perfect for Volvo compact electric excavators and wheel loaders. Here are just a few:

Urban

Electric machines are impressively quiet, which makes them prime candidates for work in populated areas — especially on projects that require nighttime work or operation in residential areas. Digging or moving material outside a bedroom window , school zone or hospital room will be no problem at all. As more cities and states work on charging infrastructure for electric passenger vehicles, Volvo electric construction equipment can make a logical addition to their equipment fleets as well. 

Indoor

Indoor construction jobs cause a unique set of problems for workers. Construction equipment needs to be compact enough to fit through tight spaces, yet powerful enough to complete the job. Ventilation also poses a problem as diesel-powered equipment emits exhaust fumes. Indoor projects can now benefit from the low noise and zero emission levels Volvo electric machines offer.

Where it used to take several laborers doing manual work or using smaller electric tools, now an electric compact excavator can dig or an electric loader can move material indoors without polluting enclosed spaces or causing major disruptions.

Agriculture

Because of electric machines’ zero-emission factor, they are great for agricultural settings involving horses and other valuable livestock. Farmers don’t want their animals breathing in diesel emissions, but still need to get work done around them. With an electric wheel loader, farmers can keep barns or sheds closed for warmth while still moving loads of hay or feed, for example. And they won’t have to sacrifice power or reach, because these machines operate at the same level as their diesel counterparts.

Food Production

Yet again, zero emissions save the day. In a setting like a greenhouse, orchard or fish hatchery — or even with beekeeping operations — electric machines can carry around supplies or materials without exposing products or workers to hazardous emissions or loud noise. This can also increase work productivity by eliminating the need to transfer from a diesel machine to equipment that can come indoors, or even manually unloading from outside to inside.

LOOKING TO THE HORIZON

Many businesses are interested in moving away from diesel wherever possible as the sustainability movement gains traction, while others simply want to explore new segments and applications where they could grow their business. Either way, at Volvo we anticipate that electric equipment will be a big part of the solution.

Looking beyond the current compact machines, we’re also working on concept models like our Volvo EX03 electric mid-size wheeled excavator and Volvo TA15 autonomous hauler. The idea of fully electrified and automated jobsites like mines, quarries and lumber yards will become a reality in the not-so-distant future.

You can read more about Volvo’s drive to electromobility and our electric, automated test site we built to learn what else is in store for the future of electric and autonomous machines.