On utility projects, there is often an easy way to solve the question of how to charge an electric excavator. Despite being tight surroundings, city centres provide ready access to the electricity grid. So when Ellevio built a charging station in the middle of Stockholm City, they were able to use electricity directly from the grid via a connection box where they had access to several different outputs (16A, 32A, 63A, etc). They then used a DC fast charger for outdoor use to power up the Volvo ECR25 Electric during opportunity breaks in their work. An extension cord was also used to provide more flexible charging, no matter where the machine was positioned on site.

German firm Kuhlmann Leitungsbau is using one zero emission L25 Electric compact wheel loader and two EC18 Electric compact excavators to complete its inner-city utility works. The electric machines are busy laying a pipeline for this energy company in the heart of a bustling city centre. Not only have the EC18 Electric machines been able to complete many of the tasks required on a single charge, but when it does come to needing a recharge, they take their power from local photovoltaic systems. For the larger L25 Electric, the company wanted to avoid driving it to a charging station, so installed a mobile wallbox that was connected to the local electricity grid. A flexible and practical solution that makes it easy to access power as and when they need it - by simply plugging it in before a break.

Gridserve is one of a number of customers pioneering a net-zero construction project and digging a trench for EV charging stations using our electric compact excavator. But how are they finding it to operate? The benefits of no fumes and less noise make it less tiring to operate and much easier to communicate with the team. What is more, the 20kWh battery helps shift soil for four hours straight, before needing a quick one hour recharge. On a typical working day, they never go close to depleting the battery, ensuring optimum productivity with minimum maintenance.

Digging a trench is a typical task for electric excavators. We put Volvo CE’s EC18 Electric compact excavator to the test and this is how it performed.

• Test: Dig a trench measuring 20m straight, 600 mm wide, 750 mm deep
• Operator: Experienced
• State of Charge (SOC): 77% at the start and 46% at the end
• Total operating time: 1 hour 40 minutes
• Energy consumed: 5.6 kWh
• Workmode first 10m: ECO 1100 rpm
• Workmode last 10m: ECO 1600 rpm
• Ground conditions: Hard and compact clay with 25% stones/boulders
• Weather: Sunshine, 15° Celsius / 59° Fahrenheit

Conclusion:

• Despite the hard digging and challenging ground conditions, the EC18 Electric compact excavator performed very well - completing the task in good time, with enough charge and reduced energy consumption
• After 1 hour and 40 minutes working in challenging ground conditions, involving hard digging, the EC18 Electric performed efficiently with a 30% consumption of the battery by the end of the task.

Construction company Nordkysten A/S, in collaboration with the National Research Center for Working Environment, in Denmark, embarked on an interesting experiment. Across two very similar residential roads with two similar task profiles, one road was worked on using only electric tools and machinery, while the other was handled exclusively by fossil fuel-powered equipment. During both projects, the teams carried out particle measurements – and the result was clear to see (and breathe). On the fossil fuel-powered project, there were lots of particle emissions, while the “zero-emission road” was only disturbed by occasional smoking breaks, and a passing diesel-powered post van.

Our electric construction machines offer sustainable, zero-emission operations that align with global environmental goals - as well as customers’ own sustainability targets. They provide cost savings through reduced fuel and maintenance expenses, and improve working conditions with significantly lower noise levels and a more pleasant working environment. Electric construction equipment not only contributes to a cleaner environment but also enhances operational efficiency and opens up new business opportunities in various sectors - such as indoor or night-time work. Their versatility makes electric machines a valuable choice for modern construction needs.

At Volvo CE, we conduct thorough life cycle assessments across all our products to track overall carbon dioxide emissions. These analyses reveal that the usage phase, i.e., when the machine is in operation, diesel machines provide 70 to 95 percent of the total carbon footprint. An electric machine, on the other hand, produces no emissions at all during the usage phase, dramatically reducing emissions. This means customers can operate safe in the knowledge that when they work, they are doing so in a far more sustainable manner.