Volvo hybrid loader delivers in spades

Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) has presented its field test results for its LX1 prototype electric hybrid wheel loader at a press event in California, USA in mid-July.

Since the end of 2016, the LX1 has performed hundreds of hours of real work in two applications at Volvo CE's customer, Waste Management's facilities in California. The project was funded by the California Energy Commission, while clean transport advocacy group, CALSTART, conducted emission tests on the machine.

Testing began at the Redwood Landfill and Recycling Center, a green waste composting site in the northern part of the state.

Both fuel efficiency and greenhouse gas emission tests were conducted at the facility and, although the data is still being analysed, initial results have shown an average improvement of 50 per cent in fuel efficiency, according to Volvo CE.

The company adds this equates to a reduction of 35 per cent in fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

The second test site was the Moreno Valley Transfer Station, a waste transfer site in southern California. There, the LX1 achieved an average fuel efficiency improvement of around 45 per cent. Volvo CE reveals both sets of results exceed the 35 per cent fuel efficiency improvement target set for the project.

"We are pleased with the results from the field testing,” says Volvo CE electromobility director, Scott Young.

"Although we’d already seen the LX1 reach up to a 50 per cent improvement in fuel efficiency in our internal tests, every application and operator is different. Because of this, we were aiming for a 35 per cent improvement in fuel efficiency in this project.

"But we are happy to say that we’ve significantly exceeded this figure and achieved similar results to those recorded at our test site in Sweden."

Setting the standard

Waste Management is the largest environmental services and recycling company in North America and operates one of the largest fleets of Volvo CE equipment in the world.

Prior to testing the LX1, the company ran a conventional machine at both sites to gather baseline data. "Three experienced operators from Waste Management, who were trained and supported by Volvo CE engineers, carried out their daily work with the LX1 and provided us with valuable feedback," Young says.

"Their responses were positive, they liked the dramatic reduction in noise, improved visibility over the rear of the machine, ease of operation and powerful hydraulics.

"But they also gave us constructive feedback on areas we can refine, such as improving functions like traction control and gear shifting, actions that will enhance operability.

"Now we’ve concluded the field tests, the machine will be shipped back to Sweden for updates and tuning based on what we’ve learnt over the last six months."

Young adds the LX1 remains part of a development project and is not commercially available.

The California Energy Commission provided over $1.8 million of funding for the LX1 project through its Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program.

Hybrid technology

The LX1 is a series hybrid that incorporates a driveline that consists of electric drive motors mounted at the wheels, electric driven hydraulics, a battery energy storage system, a significantly smaller diesel engine and new machine architecture.

Volvo CE says it is this unique combination of advanced components that allows the machine to deliver in terms of fuel efficiency. In addition, the company adds the LX1 also offers a significant reduction in noise pollution compared to its conventional counterparts.

The prototype – which has 98 per cent new parts and a fundamentally new machine design – is capable of doing the work of a wheel loader that’s one size larger, Volvo CE claims.

"Volvo CE has long-term plans to develop products and services for electromobility, including electric hybrids and electric sites," Young concludes.

"Although we believe that there will be a major shift towards electric hybrid technology in the future, our customers, quite rightly, want improved efficiency now. This requires a balance in our development activities.

"Therefore, we are also optimising more conventional technologies and soft offers which will compete with hybrid technology for some years. Before we launch a machine like the LX1, you can expect to see elements of this design incorporated into our products.

"This supports short and mid-term developments and requirements while the market continues to accept hybrid technology, technology improves and the cost of new technologies decreases."