Battery-powered equipment gains ground in construction

There are several reasons to choose electric equipment – the ability to extend working hours in sensitive areas, reduced operating and maintenance costs long-term, a need to meet environmental targets, and in some cases electric machines provide better performance than an equivalent diesel machine. With electric equipment introductions coming at us quickly over the past couple of years, it can be hard to keep track of what's available, what's coming soon, and what's still in the prototype stage. 

Let's take a look at the machines, advantages of electric power, and key applications for electric equipment in the earthmoving, cranes and lift, and roadbuilding sectors.

What electric earthmoving equipment is available?

One of the biggest changes in the construction industry over the last few years is the range of electric earthmoving equipment options available. At CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2020, electric-powered earthmoving equipment was an exciting new novelty – there was a smattering of introductions and prototypes on the show floor, and each machine was a significant announcement. Three years later, there was a battery-powered machine around every corner at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2023 – and it's still a big deal for the industry.

Some benefits of electric power are obvious, while others are less so. Cleaner air and lower noise levels on the job site benefit everyone in the vicinity, but operators also experience instant torque, no idling, and no engine-associated maintenance checks. Operations must come up with a charging plan that doesn't rely on a fossil-fuel source, but there are several options for compact equipment including connection to a standard household socket, fast charging, and solar-powered generators.

Compact electric earthmoving equipment has been available, in some limited form, for many years now. Dual power micro excavators designed for indoor use, primarily demolition, were an early option. But, these small, sub-one-ton machines, while meeting the need for emissions-free operation, had to be powered via an umbilical connected to a generator, which made movement cumbersome. 

One of the early players in the umbilical-free electric earthmoving equipment space, Green Machine, developed an expertise in retrofitting small machines from several OEMs to meet niche customer demand. The company started with a bet on a medical campus. Jon M. Williams, the soon-to-be founder of Green Machine, was with the president of the campus and the president of a utility company. There was a diesel machine operating outside; it was noisy and they could see the emissions. If Williams could build a battery-powered machine to replace that diesel machine, the president of the utility would buy it. 

Williams returned a proof-of-concept machine, showing that it could run on its lead-acid battery. Green Machine has since evolved its battery technology and has partnered with OEMs and end users to deliver a range of electric earthmoving solutions.

In the later 2010s, electric compact earthmoving equipment came to much greater attention via Mecalac's E12 concept electric excavator and Volvo Construction Equipment's Concept Lab initiative. Volvo publicly demonstrated the development of its first electric machines, a compact excavator and a compact wheel loader, leading up to the commercial unveiling of the ECR25 excavator and L25 wheel loader at bauma 2019. 

Volvo has since announced that while it would continue to sell its diesel-powered models, the company would cease R&D focused on diesel-powered compact equipment and would focus exclusively on electric development in the smaller size classes.

JCB introduced its first electric compact excavator, the 19C-1E in 2019, and other manufacturers, including Bobcat, Takeuchi, and Wacker Neuson, have added machines to the electric mini and compact excavator market.

The types of electric machines now available, or close to production, have rapidly expanded – and there are plenty of applications where compact electric earthmoving equipment is now viable, including urban earthmoving applications in noise-sensitive areas, such as around hospitals; underground mining; parkland development; and in waste and recycling.

According to Takeuchi, indoor demolition remains one of the most important applications for electric compact excavators, which are ideal for the job when outfitted with a hydraulic breaker.

Electric equipment development has now expanded beyond compact excavators and wheel loaders. In 2020, CASE Construction Equipment ventured into new territory with the reveal of its first all-electric backhoe loader, which was developed in conjunction with U.S. utilities providers. John Deere has since announced the development of its own electric backhoe loader, also in conjunction with utilities operations. With an electric backhoe loader, the operator can carry out emissions-free digging, lifting, and loading operations – and they can also drive, emissions-free, between job sites.

Bobcat, in partnership with Green Machine, has expanded the types of electric equipment on the market with the introduction of its all-electric compact track loader. On this CTL, Bobcat also partnered with Moog to power attachments via electric actuation and eliminated all of the machine's hydraulics. The company commercialized the machine and introduced the first models via Sunbelt Rentals in 2022. At CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2023, Bobcat revealed its first prototype all-electric skid-steer loader, which the company says will be commercially available soon.

Other types of smaller equipment that are already suited to urban environments have been introduced in electric models in recent years, including site dumpers, stand-on track loaders, mini dumpsters, and compact loaders. AUSA, JCB, Avant Tecno, and Toro are just a few companies that offer these types of equipment, and they are ideal for small construction jobs in hard-to-access areas, as well as landscaping work.

Mecalac introduced a line of electric equipment in late 2022; the line includes a 12.5-ton excavator, a swing loader, and a site dumper. Mecalac's goal is to provide what it calls "a complete electric ecosystem" for urban job sites. With these three machines, contractors can carry out entire jobs while producing zero emissions and very low noise levels.

There are several challenges to electrifying mid-size earthmoving equipment, including weight of the battery and the availability of a power source if the machine doesn't stay on one job site. In specific applications, the benefits can outweigh the cost, and several manufacturers have started electrifying earthmoving machines in the 20-to-30-ton category, including Volvo with an excavator, Komatsu with an excavator, and LiuGong with a wheel loader. These machines are suited to job sites with easy access to charging and regular work cycles, such as transfer stations for the waste industry. Construction applications are currently more restricted in this size class. But, according to LiuGong, quarrying applications where the wheel loader will be used long-term on a single site are ideal for setting up charging infrastructure.

LiuGong adds that end-users will need to consider the length of time they plan to invest in a mid-size electric machine, like its wheel loader. Over time, anticipated total cost of ownership is competitive with a diesel machine thanks to significant fuel savings, maintenance savings, and emissions reductions.

Municipal governments that are focused on meeting emissions targets and reducing urban pollution are also a market expected to lead the switch to electric power. At CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2023 Gradall and Volvo Penta revealed an electric Gradall prototype aimed at that market. Typically a Gradall returns to the public works yard at the end of each day, which is ideal for charging overnight.

What electric cranes and lift equipment are available?

Electric equipment solutions are ideal for lifting applications, which often take place in urban environments or indoors.

One of the biggest innovations has come from Liebherr, which introduced the world's first battery-powered crawler crane in 2020. The crane was based on the company's Unplugged platform developed for battery-electric pile driving rigs. The crane can provide four hours of lifting on battery power and can also operate while plugged in. These cranes are built on the same platform as their diesel-powered counterparts. 

Liebherr has said that interest in these models comes from companies who have developed health and safety and environmental plans that involve fossil fuel and noise emissions reduction, as well as cities around the world that have set strict environmental targets for heavy equipment emissions reduction. The first Unplugged crawler crane operated in Oslo, Norway, and Liebherr's portfolio of Unplugged crawler cranes has now grown to four models ranging from 137- to 250-tonne maximum lift capacity.

Other manufacturers of electric crawler cranes include Sany and SENNEBOGEN. In 2022, Tadano announced that it plans to commercialize the world's first electric rough-terrain crane.

Electric boom lifts have been on the market in some capacity for over 20 years. Lift equipment works indoors, close to buildings, and in dense urban areas – all ideal applications for electric power. Lift equipment manufacturers, including Genie, JLG, Manitou, and Snorkel offer electric boom lifts or scissors, as well as smaller battery-powered equipment. 

Several manufacturers have more recently branched into offering electric telehandlers, including JCB, Manitou, Merlo, and Snorkel. Like electric boom lifts, electric telehandlers are ideal for noise sensitive applications in urban environments. At bauma 2022, Manitou introduced its first two all-electric rotating telehandlers, which can load up to six tons to a lift height of 22 and 26 metres. Manitou says that these machines can work in a range of climates, including cold weather, and the working range can be boosted with an additional battery.

What electric roadbuilding equipment is available?

Electrification in roadbuilding is a relatively new development. There have been prototype machines demonstrated by manufacturers for over a decade, but commercial production of electric roadbuilding equipment has only happened very recently – most notably ramping up with the introduction of electric tandem rollers for small scale projects. Several manufacturers have quickly entered this space, including Volvo Construction Equipment, Hamm, BOMAG, Dynapac, and Ammann.

According to the Wirtgen Group, which manufactures Hamm's line of electric rollers, the push for development of electric tandem rollers started in Scandinavia and other parts of Europe where contractors need equipment that can perform jobs in low-emissions zones. As with earthmoving equipment, the ideal application for an electric roller is in urban, noise-and-pollution-sensitive areas, such as near hospitals and schools, and for working at night in populated areas. Electric rollers also have reduced maintenance costs compared to diesel machines – the only fluids required are hydraulic oil and greasing at the articulation points. Another advantage is that electric machines don't need to idle – which saves additional costs for contractors and reduces the amount of power needed to work a full day.

Volvo says its electric rollers feature the same battery-power architecture as the company's compact excavators and wheel loaders. But, Volvo adds that its electric roller has a performance advantage over diesel-powered models in high-altitude applications. It is not reliant on natural aspiration – where diesel performance will drop at higher elevations, the equivalent electric machine sees no performance change. And, to meet diesel engine emissions regulations, the diesel-equivalent machine has less available power than Volvo's electric rollers.

Electric asphalt pavers are in very early development. Vögele now offers an electric mini paver for the European market, and other electric pavers have been tested in Europe. At CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2023, LeeBoy displayed the prototype electric paver that it developed in collaboration with General Motors and Powertrain Control Solutions. According to LeeBoy, advantages of an electric asphalt paver include reduced noise levels and no wasted energy while waiting for trucks or idling. Operators will otherwise be familiar with the performance and controls which are similar to the company's diesel-powered pavers.

Now is the time to get familiar with electric machines

With more electric machines hitting the market in a range of product categories, from mini excavators up to mid-size earthmoving machines and crawler cranes, the opportunity to experience and understand the advantages and challenges of deploying electric equipment on your job site is growing – particularly as more of this equipment becomes available through rental. Electric isn't the only option for job site emissions reduction, and there are some machines that won't be suited to run on battery power. Other technologies will be needed to fill in the gaps. But, for now, growing familiarity with the zero-emissions solutions that are on the market is vital for planning the future of your business.