Volvo CE To Go Electric On Compact Machines

Volvo Construction Equipment (CE) announced that it is planning to launch an electric range of Volvo branded compact wheel loaders and compact excavators. By mid-2020 it will begin to launch electric compact excavators (EC15 to EC27) and wheel loaders (L20 to L28), and the company said it will stop the development of new diesel engine-based models.

With this move, Volvo CE said it is the first construction equipment manufacturer to commit to an electric future for its compact machine range, and that the move follows a favorable reaction from the market after the company unveiled several concept machines. This move is aligned with the Volvo Group’s strategic focus on electromobility in all business areas.

The first machines are expected to be unveiled at the Bauma exhibition in April 2019, followed by a staged market-by-market introduction and ramp up in 2020.

While the company said that while diesel engines remains the most appropriate power source for its larger machines, electric propulsion and battery technology is proving particularly suited to Volvo’s smaller equipment. With research and development investment now focused on the rapid development of its electric compact wheel loaders and excavators, Volvo CE said it is taking a step toward diesel-free compact equipment in the future.

“Volvo CE is delivering on its commitment of ‘Building Tomorrow’ by driving leadership in electromobility and delivering sustainable solutions that support customer success,” said the company’s president, Melker Jernberg. “The technology we have been developing is now sufficiently robust and this, together with changes in customer behavior and a heightened regulatory environment, means that now is the right time to commit to electromobility in our compact equipment ranges in the future.”

Further information will follow in the coming months, said Volvo CE.