Construction Equipment
Global
Volvo Construction Equipment is proud to present Volvo LX03 – an autonomous concept wheel loader that is breaking new grounds in smart, safe and sustainable construction solutions. Pushing the boundaries of both technology and imagination, this world-first prototype represents a milestone in the next stage of Volvo CE’s exploration into machine intelligence and its determination to decarbonize the construction of tomorrow.
In case you missed the digital event ZEUX – Making it real, watch it below.
Inspired by the ZEUX concept devised by Volvo CE and LEGO® Technic engineers and designers, the Volvo LX03 is the first real-world example of a self-learning wheel loader with the brains to make decisions, perform tasks and interact with humans.
It is also the first time ever a LEGO® Technic model has been turned into a real machine.
The ZEUX concept began in 2016 as a collaboration between Volvo, LEGO Technic and a group of incredible children who shared their ideas and vision for an autonomous wheel loader concept. The result was ZEUX, packed with spectacular features, which became a new LEGO® Technic building kit.
From these beginnings, our talented engineers and development teams set to work to bring the concept to life. After years of hard work and dedication the LX03 has now become the next step in our automation plan.
While not commercially available, engineers expect that valuable insights from the LX03 will feed into applications for today and tomorrow.
The LX03 is built on tried and tested Volvo innovation. It has been built with components based on the existing L25 Electric drivetrain – making it a zero-emission machine. An autonomous machine needs to keep its balance so the wheels are packed with sensors, almost like the feet of a human being. While providing superb traction, it also lets the LX03 set the direction of the rim-pull of the wheels, when working in a pile for example.
The LX03 is demonstrating how automation can be rolled-out across a machine type as versatile as the wheel loader. With just the simple change of an attachment, a wheel loader is required to carry out a multitude of different tasks, from scooping material into trucks and lifting almost anything through to travelling around a job site. Depending on the size, they are also required to work across diverse segments from landscaping to mining.
The LX03’s striking scissor frame is a unique feature that allows the machine greater freedom of movement and increased efficiency. It also offers a unique bucket sequence whereby the bucket can be filled by simply lowering the rear part, or counterweight, of the machine, requiring no work from the loading unit at the front and providing improved stability during the loading process.
When it comes to emptying the load, the counterweight, which also doubles as the battery pack, can then by lifted off the ground allowing the bucket to reach much further over the load receiver than a conventional machine. This motion pattern improves energy efficiency, because it not only allows the machine to use its own weight to create greater lifting power, but also allows for larger bucket fills thereby reducing the loading cycle.
Volvo already has autonomous haulers out in the field and in commercial operation today. The Volvo LX03 joins an ever-growing portfolio of autonomous and semi-autonomous machinery concepts which will be a mainstay of jobsites of the future.
| Operating weight | 5000 kg |
| Total length | 5900 mm |
| Width | 2100 mm |
| Height | 1900 mm |
| Wheel base | 2500 mm |
| Tipload | 4000 kg |
| Working load | 2000 kg |
| GP bucket volume | 1,5 m3 |
| Max speed | 38 km/h |
| Battery capacity | 40 kWh |
| Battery run time | 4 - 8 h |
