Construction Equipment North America

Volvo EC20D mini excavator packs a mighty punch

The new EC20D excavator from Volvo Construction Equipment offers largest-in-class cab and exceptional lifting capacity in a compact and fuel-efficient, but extremely tough package.

Volvo EC20D mini excavator

The new EC20D mini excavator from Volvo Construction Equipment offers largest-in-class cab and exceptional lifting capacity in a compact and fuel-efficient, but extremely tough package.

The new D-Series compact excavator from Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) features a Volvo D0.9A Tier 4 Final engine that is 10 percent more fuel efficient when equipped with the auto engine shutdown option. The auto engine shutdown option also provides better resale value for the machine through lower hours and longer service intervals. A new automatic idling system further reduces fuel consumption and noise disturbance by switching engine speed to idle if the controls are inactive for more than five seconds.

“The EC20D offers surprising performance and durability in a small package,” said John Comrie, utility product manager at Volvo Construction Equipment. “With best-in-class cab space and exceptional lifting capacity, as well as the backing of the Volvo Lifetime Frame and Structure Warranty, the EC20D is a fuel-efficient, productive and versatile choice for utility work and more.”

Ease of operation
The EC20D mini excavator offers the roomiest cab in its class, with no extra auxiliary floor pedals, excellent all-around visibility, and intuitive controls for unparalleled operator comfort and productivity. The cab is safe and easy to access via a wide door with three contact points, or when fitted with a canopy, using a large handrail. With superior noise and vibration insulation, the EC20D excavator keeps the operator comfortable throughout the day. All controls are ergonomically placed, and the large travel pedals allow the operator to easily maneuver the machine in tight spaces. The fingertip roller offers precise boom offset and convenient attachment use. To achieve maximum efficiency, a high-speed travel switch is located on the dozer blade lever for fast backfilling, while a single-acting auxiliary button on the front of the right joystick ensures easy hydraulic breaker operation.

Built to last with lifetime warranty
When it comes to durability, the EC20D excavator packs in decades of Volvo engineering with additional D-Series refinements. The robust rear counterweight is made from a single piece of cast iron, providing outstanding impact resistance and shielding of all vital components — from hydraulic lines and pumps to the fuel tanks and cooling pack. The unique high-profile design wraps around each side of the machine for superb protection. The flat, toughened glass used on all four sides of the cab guarantees that replacements can be fitted simply and quickly.

The robust dozer blade is equipped with a welded-on cutting edge for superior wear resistance. A durable upper lip provides added protection against damage in tough applications, as well as excellent balance when using the blade as a stabilizer. The sturdy structure and the curved profile of the blade ensure outstanding performance for both dozing and backfilling applications.

The swing frame, the boom and the arm ends are also cast, providing excellent stress distribution. Hardened pins and bushings are designed to keep tight pivot tolerances for minimum wear. All these design features ensure the machine is ready to work year after year — backed by the Volvo Lifetime Frame and Structure Warranty. The boom, arm and frame of the EC20D excavator are fully covered under the warranty, ensuring Volvo CE or an authorized dealer will repair or replace boom, arm and frame components as necessary during the period of initial ownership or for the full life of the equipment — whichever is less.

Ease of maintenance
Not only is the D-Series highly durable, it is also easy to maintain thanks to its excellent built-in service features. Daily service points are centrally grouped under the newly redesigned rear engine hood. With the Volvo patented multifunctional hydraulic oil filter, filtration occurs when the tank is filled. While the machine is working, the oil returns via the drain lines through the filter, ensuring constant filtration. The transparent housing on the filter bowl also enables easy oil level checks and enables early detection of contamination.

Volvo compact excavators have been designed and tested to allow for 50-hour greasing intervals, which after 500 hours, results in a full day’s worth of time saved greasing. The greasing intervals, combined with the ease and speed of inspections all equate to increased uptime and productivity.

Excellent versatility and performance
In addition to simple service requirements and excellent durability, the superb uptime of the EC20D excavator is made more productive by its sheer versatility and performance. Maximum lifting capacity reaches 1,195 pounds (542 kg) at ground level with the blade down. The EC20D excavator also has a hydraulically extendable undercarriage that can be extended or retracted to suit jobsite requirements and fit through tight spaces. Furthermore, the state-of-the-art hydraulic system is primed to deliver superior performance no matter the application. The EC20D excavator offers best-in-class maximum flow for attachments at 11.4 gallons (43 lpm), along with in-cab flow adjustment to match the attachment speed to operator needs.

The boom is slightly offset to the left, which helps maintain visibility when working in tight spaces. These machines are designed so that the swing post and cylinder stay within the track width when offset to the left. This not only helps avoid the risk of damage to the swing offset cylinder and post when working alongside obstacles, it also allows the operator to dig flush against a wall.

Customers can choose from a wide range of mini excavator attachments, including general-purpose buckets with bolted teeth, fixed or tilt ditching buckets, as well as a range of Volvo breakers — delivering powerful energy at low noise levels. To facilitate a change of attachment, Volvo’s dedicated quick coupler picks up Volvo attachments in both the face shovel and excavator position.

When transporting it on a trailer, dedicated lifting points and an automatic swing brake ensure safe transporting. Meanwhile, the simple and effective bucket transportation system also allows safe and easy transporting. Hooks are integrated into the bucket backwall, allowing up to two general-purpose buckets to be attached onto the lip of a ditching bucket, securing them against the blade for transport and safety on the site.