Volvo Construction Equipment has unveiled a concept prototype for a mid-size electric excavator, at a major expo in China
It’s still in its concept stages and there are no current plans to bring it to market, but Volvo Construction Equipment still managed to turn heads at the China International Import Expo held in Shanghai in November with its latest innovation.
The company unveiled its first electric prototype in the mid-size excavator range, saying its concept EX03 electric wheeled excavator was designed with safety and sustainability in mind.
The 14-tonne EX03 is equipped with a battery pack from Volvo Trucks and boasts the same performance level as a diesel machine of the same class, Volvo says.
The electric wheeled excavator prototype aims to deliver zero emissions, higher efficiency, lower noise levels and reduced total cost of ownership compared to its conventional counterparts.
Volvo CE program manager for advanced engineering Inwoo Kim says the prototype is a major step forward in the evolution of medium electric construction machines.
“As our first electric excavator concept in the mid-size range, we have been quick to build and expand on our existing electromobility technology,” Kim says.
“With the same power and force as a diesel machine of the same size, there has been no compromise on performance.”
Volvo says the prototype follows on from previous iterations of the smaller, and fully electric, EX02 concept electric excavator.
“While still in the concept stage with no current plans to bring it to market, the company is exploring the possibility of eventually trialling a similar version of the EX03 in customer pilots,” Volvo says.
The prototype, which was also on display at bauma China 2020 in November, also boasted a video screen fixed to the rear of the EX03.
The screen could be configured to display either real-time video from the front of the machine; a text-based safety screen alerting workers on site to left and right movement or reversing; or a safety communication live stream enabling the operator to make eye contact with pedestrians and workers, in order to reduce misunderstandings and increase safety.