The construction industry is witnessing an evolution on the worksite — a shift away from fossil fuels to electrification.
For example, the introduction of central energy storage units such as the VOLTstack power stations could soon make noisy, smelly gas and propane generators a rare sight. Electrification is also beginning to include quiet, zero-emission earthmoving equipment such as mini-excavators.
Doosan Bobcat launched the world’s first one-tonne electric mini-excavator in 2019, the E10e. The battery-powered, zero tail swing (ZTS) mini-excavator has been designed specifically for indoor applications such as basement construction and indoor demolition.
According to Jarry Fiser, mini-excavator product line director, Doosan Bobcat EMEA, the E10e can be recharged back to 80 per cent capacity within two hours. It operates for a full working day if recharged during regular work breaks using the company’s optional external supercharger, or continuously for four hours on a single charge under standard working conditions.
Although currently on sale only in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, availability of the E10e is expected shortly in North America and Asia.
Meanwhile, Hyundai Construction Equipment and Cummins Corporation also have partnered in the development of electric heavy equipment. Their mini-excavator, currently undergoing tests, packs a total of 35 kilowatt hours (kWh) of power using eight battery modules. The companies say that after a three-hour recharging period, the machine can work an eight-hour shift.
Not to be left out, Takeuchi-US, the American subsidiary of Japanese company Takeuchi Mfg. Co. Ltd., has announced it will unveil and demonstrate its new electric TB220e compact excavator at the 2020 ConExpo in Las Vegas in March.
Volvo CE is committed to going even further. The heavy equipment manufacturer is pressing ahead with several electric compact excavators and wheel loaders. In fact, the company has announced that it will cease further diesel, energy-based development for the four models that are scheduled to go electric.
“This move is aligned with the Volvo Group’s strategic focus on electromobility in all business areas,” the company said. “This follows an overwhelmingly favourable reaction from the market after the successful unveiling of a number of concept machines in recent years.”
Volvo expects to ramp up electrification on a market-by-market basis this year.
Machines used for drilling deep foundations are also seeing a shift towards electrification. Swiss-based Liebherr Group has been field-testing its electric-hydraulic LB 16 drilling rig for possible future production. The company claims the LB 16 battery has the energy capacity of seven Tesla automobiles, thereby being capable of undertaking most drilling applications continuously over a 10-hour shift.
Ultimately, size may not matter when it comes to future electrification of heavy construction equipment. Hoping to develop a template for future production, Pon Equipment of The Netherlands, with input from Caterpillar, built an electric version of Cat’s 26-tonne, 323F excavator. Pon replaced the original diesel engine with a massive 300-kWh battery, providing enough power to work through a full five to seven hours of operation on a single charge.
Electrification of the jobsite not only reduces noise and unhealthy emissions that affect workers, it also addresses the construction industry’s overall need to reduce fossil fuel use and the accompanying GHG content of exhausts.
This evolution won’t stop at heavy earthmoving equipment either. Although development — and ultimately production — will take years, companies like Volvo Trucks intend to lever the technology gained through their electric vehicles for urban transportation to develop electric-concept trucks for construction operations and regional distribution.
Holger Streitz, managing director of engineering and design at Liebherr’s factory in Nenzing, Austria, says there’s one thing certain about the future.
“No matter what type of technology is established in the coming years, it will become increasingly electric.”
John Bleasby is a Coldwater, Ont. based freelance writer. Send comments and Inside Innovation column ideas to editor@dailycommercialnews.com.
This is the way they’re going now and rightly so. What happens to the diesel engines and apparatus, is it scrapped ? On one hand it is great for the environment but on another hand these behemoth batteries that run the newer machines cause pollution too in the mining and in producing them, plus the electricity to charge them is usually polluting as well. Oh well…can’t have it all !