Équipements de construction électriques : réponses à vos questions sur la recharge

Vous trouverez ci-dessous les réponses à certaines des questions les plus courantes qui me sont posées. Et bien sûr, si vous avez d'autres questions concernant la recharge des équipements de construction électriques, n'hésitez pas à me les poser dans la section des commentaires au bas de cette publication et je vous répondrai.

De quel type d'infrastructure de recharge ai-je besoin pour les équipements de construction électriques ?
Pour obtenir un temps de recharge optimal pour les machines électriques compactes, nous recommandons fortement une prise NEMA 14-50 de 240 volts utilisant un adaptateur de recharge SAE J1772 avec connecteur J, identique à celui des voitures électriques. Cela assurera une recharge beaucoup plus rapide que l'utilisation d'un réseau résidentiel standard de 120 volts. Pour les machines électriques de taille moyenne et grande (par exemple la Volvo EC230 Electric et la L120 Electric), une installation triphasée de 480 volts est requise.

Voici les temps de recharge approximatifs pour les deux configurations de machines compactes :

Tous les temps de recharge sont approximatifs, d'une batterie complètement déchargée à pleine.
* Avec batterie optionnelle de 40kWh, 33kWh étant la configuration standard.

Plus la puissance transmise à votre machine électrique est élevée, plus la recharge est rapide. C'est un peu comme faire le plein de votre véhicule avec un bidon d'essence plutôt qu'à la pompe d'une station-service.

Et bien sûr, nous continuerons à faire de la recherche, à développer et à proposer une gamme plus vaste d'options de recharge au cours des mois et des années à venir. À mesure que les véhicules électriques continuent de se déployer sur le marché, les infrastructures de recharge s'amélioreront également, et c'est une excellente nouvelle pour l'industrie de la construction.

Pourquoi les modèles de chargeuses sur pneus électriques prennent-ils deux fois plus de temps à se recharger que les modèles de pelles électriques sur 120 V, mais ont le même temps de recharge sur 240 V ?
Les modèles de pelles électriques sont dotés de trois blocs de batteries. Les chargeuses électriques utilisent les mêmes blocs de batteries, mais elles en comptent six. Le fait d'avoir deux fois plus de batteries explique pourquoi il faut deux fois plus de temps pour recharger les équipements de construction alimentés par batterie sur 120 V, car la puissance en kilowatts disponible sur 120 V est limitée.

Lors de la recharge sur 240 V, le temps de recharge est le même, car le 240 V offre une puissance en kilowatts supérieure. Ici, la différence entre les machines réside dans le fait que le chargeur intégré des chargeuses double la capacité en kilowatts par rapport aux pelles.

Volvo propose-t-elle un chargeur pour travailler dans des endroits éloignés où aucun réseau électrique n'est accessible à proximité ?
Oui. Nous proposons un chargeur solaire rapide Beam, qui est un chargeur solaire autonome et sans raccordement au réseau, équipé d'un bloc de batteries d'une capacité similaire à celui de la chargeuse sur pneus Volvo L25. Un avantage appréciable est que les panneaux solaires sont toujours orientés selon l'angle optimal, car ils suivent le mouvement du soleil.

Two North American Type 1 charging plugs — the same used for electric vehicles — are available for 240-volt charging. The charging time is the same as on the 240-volt, Level 2 AC setup (six hours for both machines), but keep in mind this is totally off-grid — you aren’t required to have any power cables running to it. You can simply charge your construction machines using the power of the sun.

What other future charging solutions is Volvo working on?
We are offering a BENNING DC fast charger. The fast charger charges the 48V batteries direct with 48V DC and up to 360 amps. As a result, the charging times are drastically reduced:

All charging times are approximate from empty to full.
* With optional 40kWh battery pack, 33kWh is the standard configuration

Keep in mind the BENNING unit isn’t off-grid, so it would need to be wired into a 480-volt, three-phase power grid at the location where you want to charge your electric equipment.

New chart to load in for fast charging times for all electric models.

Which is the best charger for the battery life of electric construction machines?
The best for the battery life is AC Level 2 charging, which is slow charging, versus DC fast charging — but again, it’s all about a customer’s needs. It’s not killing the battery, it’s just that you can extend the life of the battery with slower charging. We don’t yet know how long the batteries will last in electric construction equipment because the technology is so new.

Another thing to keep in mind is that the lithium-ion technology used in our batteries is far superior to the old lead-acid or nickel-cadmium technology we sometimes have in mind when thinking about electric vehicles. Volvo’s advanced batteries have no memory effect, they’re maintenance free, fast charging is possible, and they experience less loss of power in cold temperatures. With a 12-volt, lead-acid car battery, as soon as it gets cold, the capacity is drastically reduced — that’s not the case with these batteries.

What tips do you have for contractors to ensure charging is maximized throughout the day?
First, I always recommend that when you have any pause in your construction workday, charge the batteries (e.g. an hourlong lunch break). Because these are lithium-ion batteries, they have no memory effect. You can top them off during a break and continue working throughout the afternoon or evening.

It’s also best practice to charge the batteries of electric construction vehicles from mid-level to full, as opposed to draining the battery completely before recharging. When you charge from say 30 or 40% back up to 80 or 100%, it’s better for the overall lifetime of the battery. Remember, these aren’t the lead-acid or nickel-cadmium batteries like you’d see in early versions of electric power tools. Those were impacted by the memory effect — if you didn’t charge them properly, they became more or less useless after a short time. The lithium-ion batteries in Volvo electric machines are much more advanced and much more forgiving, so it’s perfectly fine to charge them back to full whenever a good opportunity arises.

A final tip is not to run the electric machine at full throttle all the time because oftentimes you don’t need the excessive power. Unless it’s needed, run in an appropriate rpm range to get the work done without slowing down, but there’s really no need to run full time at full electric motor rpm.

Do I need to train my operators to remember to turn off their electric construction machines throughout the day to save battery life?
No. Volvo compact electric machines come with Auto Electric Motor Shut Down. If an operator stops running the machine, the electric motor turns off after a defined period of time. The operator can select times anywhere between three and 20 seconds. And to get working again, the electric motor turns on instantly and provides instant power. It’s not like a diesel engine where if you stopped working, it goes into idle and burns fuel. In the electric machines, the electric motors shut off according to the operator’s preference.

Another benefit is that all the lighting on these Volvo electric machines (rotating beacons, work lights, travel lights, etc.) are LED — so they’re very low power consumers. This helps extend battery life for your toughest construction projects.

How long do electric vehicle batteries last in a typical day?
This is tough to answer because the machines can be used in so many ways, in a variety of applications. While we try to provide estimated ranges, there’s no exact answer for how long an electric machine will operate on a full charge. It all depends on several different factors like the type of work you’re doing, outside temperatures, constant use of the machine versus off and on, whether the heater is on/off, whether it’s dark and you’re using the lights, and so on. These differences in jobsite environments and machine uses can significantly alter how long the batteries last.

For example, we’ve had customers doing heavy applications like cutting, grading and heavy workloads who have worked through the morning and needed a quick charge at lunch. Meanwhile, customers in lighter applications or where the machine is getting intermittent use have found that it can last longer. From testing, we have seen reported work time between 4 to 6 hours depending on the application.

If you’re trying to compare machine run times for electric versus diesel, they’re not apples to apples. That’s because when your operators pause their work for things like short conversations or breaks, electric machines shut down. With electric, fuel-consuming idle time is essentially eliminated. So where a diesel machine may have accumulated 8 hours in a typical day, an electric machine will likely accumulate far less — and that means your charge will likely go farther.

All that said, Volvo’s Net Operating Time Calculator, available to our dealer network, provides very good estimates of runtime for various applications. This calculator will allow them to sit with customers and talk through specific applications to estimate daily charging needs. From fork handling and material handling to digging and trenching applications, it’ll be a tool that helps customers better understand where electric machines best fit into their fleets.

What’s the general outlook on U.S./Canada charging infrastructure development?
Currently, the charging infrastructure development is primarily driven by electric vehicles (EVs) — as more and more electric vehicles come out, more and better charging infrastructure will become available long term for electric construction equipment owners. Electric isn’t a fad — it’s here to stay. And we can expect charging infrastructure to remain a top priority for the EV industry, construction industry and more.

ELECTRIC CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT AND THE FUTURE

While charging is definitely an important consideration for those considering electric construction equipment, contractors need to also keep in mind all the new and different ways electric construction equipment can be used. The ability to work indoors thanks to zero emissions, the ability to work outside of normal business hours due to their quiet operation, the ability to have a fast-charging option to work longer hours — these benefits open the doors of possibility for those looking to expand their business down the road.

If you have additional questions related to electric equipment charging — or electric construction equipment in general — I encourage you to use the comments below to reach out to us. You can find more information about the Volvo electric machine lineup on our website.

Written by Lars Arnold – Electromobility Product Manager for North America

Lars has an engineering background and has been with Volvo since 2002. He has worked in multiple positions in various countries and is now based in Shippensburg as the electromobility product manager for North America in charge of product specifications and required features for the North American market.