While, it is too early to say if there will eventually be a shift towards electric engines in the market, Volvo CE believes that going electric is the future of our industry.

Volvo EX2: World’s first fully-electric compact excavator
Volvo’s pursuit of electrically-driven vehicles could be a game changer. Recently, the company unveiled the world’s first fully-electric compact excavator – the EX2, which is equipped with electric drive systems and electromechanical linear actuators. “While, it is too early to say if there will eventually be a shift towards electric engines in the market, Volvo CE believes that going electric is the future of our industry,” says Dimitrov Krishnan, Vice President and Head of Volvo CE India. “The EX2 prototype shows our determination to provide zero-emissions machines in the future which will have the same power and force as conventional equipment.”

EX2 is just one of a few electric initiatives Volvo CE has. The LX1, while not fully electric like the EX2, is a prototype electric hybrid wheel loader. At a press event in the US in July this year, Volvo presented results from hundreds of hours of testing that show an average improvement of 50 per cent in fuel efficiency compared to its conventional counterparts. This equates to a reduction of 35 per cent in fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

Also, the HX1 is a prototype autonomous, battery-electric load carrier. It is one element of a project that aims to electrify a transport stage in a quarry – from excavation to primary crushing and transport to secondary crushing. It has already picked up industry awards for innovation.

All these projects demonstrate that Volvo CE stands at the forefront of technological innovation.

EX2 results zero emissions, 10 times higher efficiency
According to Dimitrov, “The EX2 delivers zero emissions, 10 times higher efficiency, 10 times lower noise levels and reduced total cost of ownership compared to its conventional counterparts.”

The LX1 is a series hybrid that incorporates a driveline with electric drive motors mounted at the wheels, electrically-driven hydraulics, a battery storage system, a significantly smaller diesel engine, and new machine architecture. It’s this combination that enables the substantial gain in fuel efficiency.

Potential application areas
At this stage, Volvo CE’s EX2 is purely a research project and there are currently no plans for mass production. But the EX2 could easily be used in densely-populated areas without disturbing people – even at night. ?

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