Volvo CE launch EC230 electric excavator
Company announces European launch of mid-size machine for customers seeking low noise and zero emissions
VOLVO Construction Equipment have launched their mid-size EC230 Electric in Europe. The battery-electric excavator has already proved successful in a variety of commercial applications in both Europe and Asia. After being first introduced in China in 2021 and Norway in 2022 – it is now commercially available to selected customers in Europe.
According to Volvo CE, the 23-ton EC230 machine delivers the same performance as its conventional diesel counterpart, but with the added benefits of zero emissions, low noise, low vibrations, better controllability, and lower total cost of ownership.
Operators have also reported that it has not only been achieving a similar digging force as its diesel equivalent, the Volvo EC200E, but doing so with an even faster cycle time and much less noise.
The machine is powered by lithium-ion batteries and has been designed to carry out a full eight hours of work, with a speedy high-powered ‘lunch-hour charge’. As a general-purpose excavator it is designed for a variety of tasks including extraction, earthmoving, waste-recycling, and grading for site preparation in the building sector.
It is the first of Volvo CE’s excavators in the mid-size range to be made electric and has recently been joined by the 20-ton L120H Electric Conversion wheel loader. The EC230 Electric is equipped with a CCS2 connector, which is a standard connector available in most European countries, allowing customers to power up and put the machine at work across the continent.
It also comes with a charging cable providing a power output of 22kW, therefore enabling battery charging via a CEE socket, as well as the optional use of a mobile power bank. With the range of charging solutions available, Volvo CE say they are providing the flexibility customers need to get the job done – not only with the machine itself but with the infrastructure needed to keep the machine up and running with minimal effort.
