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I get a lot of questions related to electric construction equipment, and the topic of machine charging seems to be the most prevalent.
Below I've provided answers to some of the more common questions I hear. And of course, if you have additional questions related to charging electric construction equipment, please send them to me in the comments section at the bottom of this post and I'll get back to you.
What type of charging infrastructure do I need for electric construction equipment?
To have an optimal charging time for electric machines, we strongly recommend a 240-volt NEMA 14-50 outlet utilizing an SAE J charging adapter or J plug ' the same as for electric cars. While you can charge the machines on a common household 120-volt network, it takes longer.
Here are the approximate charging times for the two setups:
Common Household 120-Volt Outlet 240-Volt, Level 2 AC Setup ECR25 Electric Excavator 12 hours 6 hours ECR18 Electric Excavator 10 hours 5 hours EC18 Electric Excavator 12 hours 6 hours L25 Electric Wheel Loader 24 hours 6 hours L20 Electric Wheel Loader* 24 hours 6 hours DD25 Electric Compactor 12 hours 3 hoursAll charging times are approximate from empty to full.
* With 40kWh optional battery pack, 33kWh is the standard configuration.
The more power you can put into your electric machine, the faster it will charge. Think if it like filling your vehicle with a gas can versus a convenience store fuel pump.
And of course, we'll continue to research, develop and provide a wider range of charging options in the coming months and years. As electric vehicles continue to rollout into the market more and more, improved charging infrastructure will follow suit ' and that's good news for the construction industry.
Why do the electric wheel loader models take twice as long to charge as the electric excavator models on 120V, but have the same charging time on 240V?
The electric excavator models have three battery racks. The electric loaders have the same battery racks, but they have six. Double the batteries is the reason it takes twice as long to charge battery-powered construction equipment on 120V as the kilowatts available on 120V is limited.
When charging on 240V, the charging time is the same, as the 240V has a higher kilowatt output. Here the difference between the machines is that the on-board charger on the loaders double the kilowatt capacity compared to the excavators.
Does Volvo offer a charger for working in remote locations where a power grid isn't nearby?
Yes. We offer a Beam solar fast charger which is an off-grid, no connection, free-standing solar charger that has a battery pack similar to the size of the one inside the Volvo L25 wheel loader. A nice benefit is that the solar panels are always in the correct angle because they follow the movement of the sun.
Two North American Type 1 charging plugs ' the same used for electric vehicles ' are available for 240-volt charging. The charging time is the same as on the 240-volt, Level 2 AC setup (six hours for both machines), but keep in mind this is totally off-grid ' you aren't required to have any power cables running to it. You can simply charge your construction machines using the power of the sun.
What other future charging solutions is Volvo working on?
We are offering a BENNING DC fast charger. The fast charger charges the 48V batteries direct with 48V DC and up to 360 amps. As a result, the charging times are drastically reduced:
All charging times are approximate from empty to full.
* With optional 40kWh battery pack, 33kWh is the standard configuration
Keep in mind the BENNING unit isn't off-grid, so it would need to be wired into a 480-volt, three-phase power grid at the location where you want to charge your electric equipment.
New chart to load in for fast charging times for all electric models.
Which is the best charger for the battery life of electric construction machines?
The best for the battery life is AC Level 2 charging, which is slow charging, versus DC fast charging ' but again, it's all about a customer's needs. It's not killing the battery, it's just that you can extend the life of the battery with slower charging. We don't yet know how long the batteries will last in electric construction equipment because the technology is so new.
Another thing to keep in mind is that the lithium-ion technology used in our batteries is far superior to the old lead-acid or nickel-cadmium technology we sometimes have in mind when thinking about electric vehicles. Volvo's advanced batteries have no memory effect, they're maintenance free, fast charging is possible, and they experience less loss of power in cold temperatures. With a 12-volt, lead-acid car battery, as soon as it gets cold, the capacity is drastically reduced ' that's not the case with these batteries.
What tips do you have for contractors to ensure charging is maximized throughout the day?
First, I always recommend that when you have any pause in your construction workday, charge the batteries (e.g. an hourlong lunch break). Because these are lithium-ion batteries, they have no memory effect. You can top them off during a break and continue working throughout the afternoon or evening.
It's also best practice to charge the batteries of electric construction vehicles from mid-level to full, as opposed to draining the battery completely before recharging. When you charge from say 30 or 40% back up to 80 or 100%, it's better for the overall lifetime of the battery. Remember, these aren't the lead-acid or nickel-cadmium batteries like you'd see in early versions of electric power tools. Those were impacted by the memory effect ' if you didn't charge them properly, they became more or less useless after a short time. The lithium-ion batteries in Volvo electric machines are much more advanced and much more forgiving, so it's perfectly fine to charge them back to full whenever a good opportunity arises.
A final tip is not to run the electric machine at full throttle all the time because oftentimes you don't need the excessive power. Unless it's needed, run in an appropriate rpm range to get the work done without slowing down, but there's really no need to run full time at full electric motor rpm.
Do I need to train my operators to remember to turn off their electric construction machines throughout the day to save battery life?
No. Volvo compact electric machines come with Auto Electric Motor Shut Down. If an operator stops running the machine, the electric motor turns off after a defined period of time. The operator can select times anywhere between three and 20 seconds. And to get working again, the electric motor turns on instantly and provides instant power. It's not like a diesel engine where if you stopped working, it goes into idle and burns fuel. In the electric machines, the electric motors shut off according to the operator's preference.
Another benefit is that all the lighting on these Volvo electric machines (rotating beacons, work lights, travel lights, etc.) are LED ' so they're very low power consumers. This helps extend battery life for your toughest construction projects.
How long do electric vehicle batteries last in a typical day?
This is tough to answer because the machines can be used in so many ways, in a variety of applications. While we try to provide estimated ranges, there's no exact answer for how long an electric machine will operate on a full charge. It all depends on several different factors like the type of work you're doing, outside temperatures, constant use of the machine versus off and on, whether the heater is on/off, whether it's dark and you're using the lights, and so on. These differences in jobsite environments and machine uses can significantly alter how long the batteries last.
For example, we've had customers doing heavy applications like cutting, grading and heavy workloads who have worked through the morning and needed a quick charge at lunch. Meanwhile, customers in lighter applications or where the machine is getting intermittent use have found that it can last longer. From testing, we have seen reported work time between 4 to 6 hours depending on the application.
If you're trying to compare machine run times for electric versus diesel, they're not apples to apples. That's because when your operators pause their work for things like short conversations or breaks, electric machines shut down. With electric, fuel-consuming idle time is essentially eliminated. So where a diesel machine may have accumulated 8 hours in a typical day, an electric machine will likely accumulate far less ' and that means your charge will likely go farther.
All that said, Volvo's Net Operating Time Calculator, available to our dealer network, provides very good estimates of runtime for various applications. This calculator will allow them to sit with customers and talk through specific applications to estimate daily charging needs. From fork handling and material handling to digging and trenching applications, it'll be a tool that helps customers better understand where electric machines best fit into their fleets.
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What's the general outlook on U.S./Canada charging infrastructure development?
Currently, the charging infrastructure development is primarily driven by electric vehicles (EVs) ' as more and more electric vehicles come out, more and better charging infrastructure will become available long term for electric construction equipment owners. Electric isn't a fad ' it's here to stay. And we can expect charging infrastructure to remain a top priority for the EV industry, construction industry and more.
While charging is definitely an important consideration for those considering electric construction equipment, contractors need to also keep in mind all the new and different ways electric construction equipment can be used. The ability to work indoors thanks to zero emissions, the ability to work outside of normal business hours due to their quiet operation, the ability to have a fast-charging option to work longer hours ' these benefits open the doors of possibility for those looking to expand their business down the road.
If you have additional questions related to electric equipment charging ' or electric construction equipment in general ' I encourage you to use the comments below to reach out to us. You can find more information about the Volvo electric machine lineup on our website.
Written by Lars Arnold ' Electromobility Product Manager for North America
Lars has an engineering background and has been with Volvo since . He has worked in multiple positions in various countries and is now based in Shippensburg as the electromobility product manager for North America in charge of product specifications and required features for the North American market.
All Compact Electric models are supplied with a 2 year comprehensive warranty* and 4 additional years of Powertrain and electronics coverage.
*For further details please contact your dealer
Initially Volvo CE's electric equipment offer consists of one EC18, two short radius compact excavator, Volvo ECR18 & ECR25 Electric, and two compact wheel loaders, Volvo L20 & L25 Electric.
The electric compact excavators have a fully electric power source and hydraulic cylinders and pumps. The compact wheel loaders have one electric pump to drive one hydraulic motor for all work hydraulics and one electric motor for drive. The electric compact wheel loaders are actually electric driven.
Depending on the type of job (application and intensity of the work cycle), with a typical stop-start working pattern, you can operate the machine for 4 to 6 hours one single charge which suits most applications.
Depending on the type of job (application and intensity of the work cycle), with a typical stop-start working pattern, you can operate the machine for 4 to 6 hours (4 hours of runtime within an 8 hour typical day of work) with one single charge.
The electric loader recovers energy in all driving conditions while using the brake function of the electric drive system.
The performance of the Volvo electric excavator and electric loader has been successfully tested on ambient temperatures between 14 to 104F (-10°C and 40°C).
Our Electric Machine Management Application ('EMMA') gives customers remote information on their electric machine/s. Users can keep track of battery level, charging status and machine location all from the convenience of an internet-connected device, helping to take the actions needed to manage the charging process more efficiently and maximize uptime. EMMA is planned to be released later in as a BETA version with a free of charge trial period.
AC Level 1 charging on 110V within 24 hours
AC level 2 charging on 208 to 240V within 6 hours, this is the recommended charging level and on an NEMA 14-50 outlet
DCFC (DC Fast Charging) is optional and charging time is reduced to 2 hours, here a 3 phase 480V power supply is required
AC Level 1 charging on 110V within 24 hours
AC level 2 charging on 208 to 240V within 6 hours, this is the recommended charging level and on an NEMA 14-50 outlet
DCFC (DC Fast Charging) is optional and charging time is reduced to 2 hours, here a 3 phase 480V power supply is required
When it comes to e-mobility fast charging devices, Volvo currently offers three different fast charger options for the electric product range:
The electric wheel loader and the electric excavator will be delivered with an onboard charger and the charging cable. With those, the machines can be plugged into a normal household grid to charge the battery or to a NEMA 14-50 208 to 240V outlet.
For the optional DCFC fast charger of the electric wheel loader battery or the electric excavator battery, a 3 phase 480V (3 phase 600V for some areas in Canada) supply will be needed.
This is one of the major advantages of the electric construction equipment. Electrical components, batteries and motors, are maintenance free.
No, it is not possible to use the ECR25 electric excavator while charging batteries.
Yes, the batteries for the new electric excavator and wheel loader range, can be charged at any point in time. The lifetime of lithium ion batteries profits when they are not always fully discharged and recharged.
Both the ECR25 Electric and L25 Electric are based on conventional construction equipment design. Only the electric components are new in the vehicles. With its new technology the ECR25 Electric and L25 Electric can deliver similar or better performance to their diesel versions. Most operators stated that the electric machines feel stronger compared to the diesel equivalent machines.
Volvo electric excavators and electric wheel loaders are designed to be used in the same applications as the equivalent diesel machines, like for example demolition, landscaping and utility work.
Furthermore, the electric excavators and electric loaders are even better suited for environments and applications where noise, exhaust emissions or vibrations are a problem today, such as indoor demolition, farming or food processing applications.
In most sites, the lack of engine noise from the electric construction machines is an advantage as it enables better communication between coworkers on site. Furthermore, a white noise function is offered as an option for Volvo's electric construction equipment, that allows people around the machine to hear without the health issues related to noise.
Our current models Volvo ECR25 Electric and compact wheel loader Volvo L25 Electric are available to test in areas where these products have been launched. Please contact your local dealer for further information. Opportunities to test the new models Volvo L20 Electric, Volvo EC18 Electric and Volvo ECR18 Electric will be available in Q3 - when we have started ramp up of deliveries.
Volvo Construction Equipment has created an online tool that allows customers to 'build and price' their ideal electric compact excavator and wheel loader, marking the company's latest advancements in both e-commerce and introducing electric construction equipment to the market.
Governmental subsidies are based on your own location, as different governments have different rules on emobility. Please contact your dealer to find out more.
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