Volvo HX1 wins Swedish quality innovation award

Futuristic, autonomous, battery-electric load-carrier concept scoops prestigious SIQ award

VOLVO Construction Equipment are celebrating after their concept HX1 autonomous, battery-electric, load carrier scooped the Swedish Institute for Quality (SIQ) Quality Innovation of the Year Award.

Winning in the Potential Innovations category, Volvo CE’s vision of a futuristic machine is one element of a present-day electric site research project that is predicted to cut carbon emissions by up to 95% and reduce total cost of ownership costs by a quarter.

The prototype HX1 represents a new approach to a sustainable future, based on the concept of electro-mobility and autonomous vehicles.

Rather than having a few, large, versatile machines, as is common at quarry and mine sites today, the HX1 demonstrates the emergence of smaller and more numerous specialist machines.

Volvo CE say this ‘elephants to ants’ concept is a new way of meeting customer needs, combining intelligent machines, automation and electromobility.

‘The HX1 forms part of Volvo CE’s long-term ambition of achieving sustainable transportation solutions,’ commented Patrik Lundblad, senior vice-president of Volvo CE’s technology function.

‘This award is a tribute to the hard work and vision of Volvo CE’s employees, who continue to push the boundaries of technology and innovation. It is welcome recognition that demonstrates Volvo CE’s position at the forefront of technological development.’

Mats Deleryd, president of the SIQ, added: ‘It is impressive to see how the winning innovations take historical processes and technologies and reinvent them to meet the needs of the future.’

Commenting on the Volvo CE entry in particular, the panel of five distinguished judges on the award committee said: ‘The concept HX1 features a totally new and revolutionary approach to transportation systems, introducing a shift to smaller and autonomous electrified vehicles.

‘The concept is groundbreaking in the industry and gives us a glimpse of how the future may look’.