‘Gold Rush’ for Volvo’s electric equipment

Volvo Construction Equipment is planning a “one-of-a-kind booth experience” for next month’s ConExpo trade fair in Las Vegas, US, with “construction industry innovators” from the Discovery Channel’s Gold Rush television series in attendance.

Volvo has not yet revealed which cast members will appearing at its Festival Grounds booth (F8926), however visitors to the company’s 5,100m² (55,000sq ft) stand will also find two equipment test-drive areas, a services and technology hall and a range of Volvo’s newest and most popular machines.

While the manufacturer has plans to reveal its next series of excavators, with a model unveiling on the first morning of the show, its commitment to becoming “a fossil free company by 2040” means that its electric construction equipment will take centre stage.

Melker Jernberg, president of Volvo CE, said, “At ConExpo we want to help our customers be prepared for the change by showcasing our wide range of commercially available electric machines packaged with related charging infrastructure and other sustainable power alternatives.”

Volvo’s ConExpo stand will feature equipment and technology designed with a Net Zero future in mind. (Image: Volvo)

With exhibits featuring Volvo’s autonomous concepts, its hydrogen fuel cell articulated hauler and a remote-controlled unit, the company will showcase a number of its flagship electric machines.

Key for Volvo’s is its new EC230E Electric Excavator, which is said to provide - as a minimum - the same performance as its diesel-powered counterpart. 

The zero-emissions excavator is a 23-tonne machine that, when compared to its diesel counterpart model, is expected to provide equipment owners with a 60-70% reduction in energy costs.

The EC230E electric excavator will be showcased alongside Volvo’s recently updated L350H Wheeled Loader model and its L200H High Lift Wheeled Loader.

Described as having had a “heavy-duty upgrade”, the L350H now features a new hydraulics system that delivers a 10% faster work cycle and a new Volvo transmission.

Similarly, the features L200H High Lift Loader offers a 27% increase in lifting capacity and a 13% larger grapple than the L180H model it replaces.

The manufacturer’s ConExpo stand will also include a ‘Solutions Hall’, where visitors will be able to speak “to experts about services and technology that can be tailored to the way they do business to grow now and well into the future”, said Volvo.