Volvo debuts EC500 Straight Boom excavator

The EC500 Straight Boom excavator on show at the NDA’s Annual Convention and Expo. (PHOTO: Volvo)

Based on the manufacturer’s standard model but custom-built with numerous heavy-duty features, the EC500 is designed primarily for demolition applications.

The excavator, which is now available for the North American market, has a 25.5 ft (7.7 m) straight boom that provides a 30% increase in pin height compared to a standard boom.

“The EC500 Straight Boom gives customers a new 50-ton option for larger jobs and complements our three high-reach models as well as our 14-ton to 95-ton standard excavators with demolition-specific guarding and hydraulic options,” said Tony den Hoed, director of demolition strategic accounts for Volvo CE.

While the EC500 also boasts a heavier counterweight for added stability, Volvo says this can be “easily removed using a hydraulic removal feature”, to make transporting the machine from site to site more convenient.

In addition to boom/bucket cylinder protection, full track guards, heavy-duty belly covers and heavy-duty side doors, Volvo said that the EC500’s “standard features include a larger auxiliary return line for faster attachment movements”.

The manufacturer added: “In an industry first, the case drain line is plumbed directly to its tank, returning oil directly back to the tank (not to a case drain circuit) and reducing back pressure on the rotation circuit.

“Other standards include quick-fit hydraulic connections and a dust suppression system that can pump eight gallons per minute through four nozzles.”

The updated demolition-grade cab includes a rollover protection system, frame-mounted falling object guards that can be swung out to clean the front window, front and top windows with half-inch thick, high impact-resistant single-piece glass, and front and top window wipers.

When it comes to maintenance, the machine’s hydraulic filter now has a service interval 1,000 hours for reduced downtime, and in terms of its warranty, the EC500 is covered by a Lifetime Frame and Structure warranty, which is valid for the entire initial ownership period. 

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