Volvo CE’s fully-electric compact excavator prototype wins Intermat Innovation Award

By MEq February 6, 2018 17:49

Volvo Construction Equipment’s fully-electric compact excavator has won the prestigious Equipment & Machinery Award in the Earthmoving & Demolition category of the Intermat Innovation Awards for its revolutionary design. The EX2 prototype delivers zero emissions, 10 times higher efficiency, 10 times lower noise levels and reduced total cost of ownership.

The concept machine was recognized for its contribution towards progress in the construction industry. It is believed to be the world’s first fully-electric compact excavator prototype. At this stage, the EX2 is still part of a research project and it is not commercially available.

To make the EX2 prototype fully electric, the combustion engine has been replaced with two lithium-ion batteries, totaling 38KWh, which store enough electric energy to operate the machine for eight hours in an intense application, such as digging compact ground. The hydraulic architecture has also been replaced with electric architecture, which incorporates electromechanical linear actuators that help to optimize the transmission chain. Removing the hydraulic system and the combustion engine, as well as reducing the cooling needs, has led to significantly lower noise levels.

“With its zero emissions and ten times lower noise levels, the EX2 could easily be used in densely populated areas without disturbing people – even at night,” says Ahcène. “Ten times higher machine efficiency, together with maintenance-free systems, means that operating costs and total cost of ownership would be significantly reduced. And because the EX2 is fully electrified and there are no mechanical joysticks, it can be controlled remotely from a mobile phone or tablet. This increases safety in hazardous working environments. Additionally, the EX2 delivers the same power and force as its conventional counterpart, as well as faster speeds in combined movements. As this type of movement is the most common kind for this machine, productivity is improved. All of this has been achieved without compromising on machine performance, ensuring customer needs would be fulfilled”, said Ahcène Nedjimi, Electromobility Specialist and EX2 Project Leader at Volvo CE.