(VIDEO) Get inside Volvo's newest mid-size electric excavator and wheel loader
The L120 Electric wheel loader and the updated 23-ton EC230 Electric excavator expand the mid-size range
Volvo Construction Equipment has introduced the mid-size L120 Electric wheel loader and the updated 23-ton EC230 Electric excavator.
The EC230 Electric excavator and L120 Electric wheel loader are the first medium-sized machines in the Volvo CE electric lineup, which also includes three mini excavators, two compact wheel loaders, and an asphalt compactor.
Upgraded electric excavator
The upgraded EC230 Electric excavator has improved battery performance over the previous generation — with a runtime of seven to eight hours per charge — due to its 650-volt lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 450 kWh. Because electric machines shut down when not in use instead of idling, operators can work a full day without interruption in many general-purpose excavation applications.
Fast-charging capabilities allow the battery to charge from 20 percent to 80 percent in just one hour with a 250-kW charger.
The EC230 Electric excavator is the first electric model to join the new series of Volvo CE excavators introduced in 2024. The upgrades in the next-gen excavator lineup include:
- A revamped cab with more space, comfort, and functionality.
- An intelligent electro-hydraulic system that enables smoother, more precise movements of the boom, bucket, and other attachments.
- Enhanced safety features and technology like Volvo Smart View with People and Obstacle Classification, providing operators with 360-degree visibility and the ability to distinguish between objects and people.
New electric wheel loader
The L120 Electric wheel loader is a 22-ton machine with a 6-ton lifting capacity and a recommended rehandling bucket capacity of 5 cubic yards, giving it performance capabilities nearly identical to its conventional counterpart. It can handle a variety of applications, including infrastructure, waste and recycling, agriculture, forestry, and ports and logistics centres.
Its 282-kWh lithium-ion battery system can run for five to nine hours on a single charge, depending on the application. Charging options include a 50-kW DC mobile charger that will charge the L120 Electric from empty to full in about six hours or a 150-kW DC fast charger that can charge it from empty to full in two hours.
"Electric construction equipment is still in its early stages of adoption, and the changes are coming fast as we move into new product types and size classes," said Dr. Ray Gallant, vice president — sustainability and productivity services at Volvo CE. "The EC230 and L120 electric models give our customers options for applications that require larger machines while delivering the benefits of zero emissions, reduced noise, and less machine maintenance."
"We collaborate across Volvo Group on sustainable power and share learnings with each other," Gallant said. "Those insights influence our engineering, help advance charging, and much more — ultimately benefiting all of our customers and pushing our industries forward."
