E-Worksite
- Authors
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Many of today’s construction equipment trends are the result of advancements in digital technology, some of which reduce skilled labor requirements:
- Autonomous heavy equipment is now used to excavate, grade and perform a growing amount of work on construction sites.
- Autonomous drones and rovers use cameras and LiDAR to perform scans of a job site; then use artificial intelligence to determine daily progress against the schedule and to identify any errors.
- Specialized robots under human supervision can perform repetitive construction tasks such as bricklaying, painting, loading and tying rebar, with the ability to work nonstop.
- The Internet of Things (IoT) enables a digitally integrated construction process and job site. It includes smart construction machines with sensors that collect and transmit data to each other and with their home base.
- Predictive telematics and analytics send machine diagnostics alerts and other vital information to fleet managers and equipment owners for off-site management.
Growing demand for machine electrification in construction and other types of equipment continues to drive global development of new battery technologies.
- OEMs are converting equipment from lead-acid to lithium batteries, which are 20%-30% more efficient.
- Battery chargers are moving toward integration into the equipment they power.
- One leading manufacturer recently introduced the first fully electric backhoe loader at CONEXPO 2020. This machine is powered by a 480V, 90kWh lithium-ion battery pack, capable of working a typical 8-hour day on a single charge.
The global market for compact construction equipment is forecast to grow from more than $10 billion in 2017 to more than $15 billion in 2025. The electrification of these machines is easier than on large construction equipment and is a growing trend. One global OEM has announced that it will stop producing its diesel-powered versions, converting to an all-electric product line. The company is promoting them as small, quiet, zero-emissions machines for use in cities and densely populated areas.
Cranes
Historically, tower cranes were hydraulically powered, but most manufacturers made the switch to electric in the 1970s. This gave them more advanced mechanics, variable speeds and better hoisting winches while reducing the required power and making them more energy efficient.
Compact Excavator
Hyundai CE has partnered with Cummins to develop electric heavy equipment. Their first offering is a battery-powered mini excavator. The excavator is powered by eight flexible battery modules supplied by Cummins.
The BM4.4E battery modules provide 35.2 kWh of total energy and can work an eight-hour shift before needing to be recharged. Charging can be done in just under three hours.
While most of the examples listed above are focusing on mini and compact models, we’ll likely see the electrification of larger models being developed over the next few years. Battery storage, faster charging cycles, output, and power are some of the obstacles that manufacturers will have to tackle
Autonomy, artificial intelligence, software, power management systems, and replacing hydraulics with electric actuators will all be used in combination with the redesign of many types of equipment to provide the efficiency and power of their diesel counterparts.
Demonstration Projects
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[[Eton College Energy Station]] | |
| The installation of an innovative renewable "Energy Station" is helping GRAHAM to reduce its carbon footprint and power demands at Eton College. | ||
News
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[[BIDIRECTIONAL Act introduced in US Senate]] | |
| A new bill introduced Friday by US Senator Angus King of Maine could unlock the true potential of electric school buses and provide stability to communities in need. The BIDIRECTIONAL Act would “create a program dedicated to deploying electric school buses with bidirectional vehicle-to-grid (V2G) flow capability.” | ||
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[[Bobcat T7X electric digger]] | |
| The new Bobcat T7X electric digger is powered by a 62kWh battery lithium-ion battery, which allows for around four hours of continuous electric-only running – or enough for a full day given the breaks usually involved in digging and loading work. | ||
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[[CASE launches world’s first fully electric backhoe loader concept]] | |
| CASE Construction Equipment launched the construction industry’s first fully electric backhoe loader. The 580 EV (Electric Vehicle) concept, dubbed Project Zeus, offers the same power and performance as a diesel-powered CASE backhoe loader, but with zero emissions and considerably reduced operating costs. Two machines have already been sold to US-based utilities companies, with the concept planned to remain exclusive to the North American market. | ||
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[[Daimler Trucks eCascadia]] | |
| Freightliner Trucks, a division of Daimler Truck North America LLC (DTNA), today unveiled the new eCascadia at ACT Expo in Long Beach, CA. Built on the best-selling heavy-duty truck platform in North America, the new battery electric Freightliner eCascadia provides customers with a zero-emission version of the industry-leading Cascadia and debuts its innovative safety and connectivity features. | ||
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[[Efficient and Connected Off-Road Machinery]] | |
| This white paper explores both global and U.S. market trends that are driving new thinking, designs and technologies in Off-Road machinery. | ||
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[[JBC I9C-IE Electric Mini Excavator]] | |
| The 19C-1E 2-ton (1.9-tonne) Electric Mini Excavator is ideally suited to construction and excavation applications within enclosed or urban job sites, or noise- and emissions-sensitive environments such as hospitals and schools. | ||
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[[LB 16 unplugged: The first battery-powered drilling rig]] | |
| The LB 16 unplugged is the first battery-powered drilling rig in the world. With the electro-hydraulic version, Liebherr presents the deep foundation machine with alternative drive concept. In doing so, Liebherr aims at providing the best possible combination of customer benefits, eco-friendliness and efficiency, as well as achieving new fields of application with Local Zero Emission. | ||
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[[Liebherr presents all-electric truck mixers]] | |
| Liebherr, in cooperation with Designwerk and ZF, have developed the first fully electric truck mixers with a drum holding ten or twelve cubic metres on a five-axle chassis. The first applications are planned for autumn 2020 at the customers Holcim and KIBAG in Switzerland. | ||
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[[Midwest Transit Equipment & SEA Electric to Power 10,000 Electric School Buses]] | |
| SEA Electric and Midwest Transit Equipment (MTE) have partnered to update 10,000 school buses with battery-electric power-systems, the biggest deal of its kind to date, which paves the way for a zero-emissions future for children's transport in North America. | ||
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[[Mini-excavator EZ17e: emission-free, quiet, powerful]] | |
| Wacker Neuson is expanding its zero emission range to include the electric mini-excavator EZ17e. With solutions by Wacker Neuson, an entire inner- city construction site can be operated fully emission-free and almost free of noise. Due to its specially developed battery technology, flexible charge management and efficiency output, the compact excavator can be applied in as many ways as a conventional model of the same class. | ||
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[[Monarch Electric Tractor]] | |
| Monarch Tractor, maker of the world’s first fully electric, driver-optional tractor. Monarch Tractor’s incorporation of robotics into our MK-V is yielding tremendous results for farmers. Autonomous capabilities that allow the tractor to drive itself to AI and machine learning that provide actionable intelligence for increased precision and efficiency in the fields, Monarch Tractor has become key in unlocking a profitable path forward toward more sustainable farming operations. | ||
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[[Solectrac Electric Tractor]] | |
| Solectrac electric tractors boast instant torque at 0 rpm, lower operating costs, and extended runtime with optional exchangeable battery packs without sacrificing the expected versatility of electric tractors, such as towing or lifting capabilities. | ||
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[[Volvo CE develops full power of electric ecosystem with E-Worksite]] | |
| A groundbreaking research project with Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) and partners to explore every aspect of the electric ecosystem is helping to deliver a complete site solution for real urban applications. | ||
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[[Zero-Emission Cargo-Handling Equipment]] | |
| This report focuses on the analysis of the near-term equipment technologies with sufficiently developed commercial availability to allow for cost analysis, which primarily are electric yard tractors and hybrid lift equipment. Intermediate-term technologies that do not yet have substantial cost information available are discussed qualitatively, including electric top-picks. | ||