Together with multiple municipalities, cities, and academic and industry partners, Volvo Construction Equipment is testing how electric machines function on an urban job site.
The Electric Worksite (E-Worksite) tests electric machines’ specific requirements across different tasks within a demanding urban environment, according to the company.
“We are already delivering electric solutions that offer zero exhaust emissions, reduced noise, and a much more comfortable work environment,” said Carolina Diez Ferrer, head of advanced engineering Programs, in a prepared statement, “but that is only half the challenge. We are committed to also helping our customers reach their own climate goals through complete site solutions with a holistic sustainable approach. This exciting partnership allows for a comprehensive investigation into the varied infrastructure and support system needs for electric machines to really perform to their best, no matter the task at hand.”
E-Worksite explores the site requirements for electromobility over the next two years across a variety of different applications. It has now completed the development of a new recreation area within the major city park Färjenäsparken and is currently working on the redesign of the Drottningtorget city square, both in the heart of Gothenburg, Sweden, and the home of Volvo CE. The project is funded by the Swedish Energy Agency, with Volvo CE working in close collaboration with Gothenburg City, NCC, Gothenburg Energy, Lindholmen Science Park, Chalmers University of Technology, and ABB Electrification Sweden, among many others to conduct a largescale machine demonstration in Gothenburg.
“To achieve the City of Gothenburg’s climate goals we need to reduce greenhouse gases and we see that electric construction machines will help us in this environmental work by reducing local emissions of both nitrogen oxides and particles, as well as noise,” said Peter Lindgren, business developer electrified transports at the City of Gothenburg Urban Transport Administration, said in a statement. “The partnership as part of the Electric Worksite is of great value and we see that this research project has the capacity required to speed up our green transformation.”
In this first phase, a number of electric machines already available to buy on the market are being put to the test, including the L25 electric wheel loader and the ECR25 electric excavator, which are carrying out minor construction work, material moving, and landscaping. A larger 30-tonne grid-connected excavator will be tasked with more energy-demanding jobs at different construction sites, to start in spring next year.
Project planners are answering questions such as how to ensure best value for money for customers and what are the most energy-efficient methods of supplying electricity to power the machines.
“We want to collectively take on the complex task of understanding the electric ecosystem and guide our customers on how best to move forward in this transition” Niklas Lindblom, project manager at advanced engineering programs for Volvo CE, in a statement. “Through this partnership we will be connecting all parts of the customer value chain in order to build up shared knowledge and innovation capabilities to ensure our electric future is fit for any construction challenge.”
Source: Volvo CE
