Volvo CE marks end of diesel on small equipment

Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) has announced an end to diesel engine-based compact wheel loaders and excavators in favour of electric models by 2020.

The company will soon launch an electric range of Volvo branded equipment in what’s regarded as an industry first.

The first machines will be unveiled at the Bauma exhibition in April 2019, followed by a staged market-by-market introduction and ramp up in the following months.

Diesel engines remain the most appropriate power source for its larger machines but electric propulsion and battery technology is proving particularly suited to Volvo’s smaller equipment, the company says.

Research and development investment is now focused on the rapid development of its electric compact wheel loaders and excavators.

Volvo CE president Melker Jernberg says the company is committed to being a leader in electromobility and sustainable solutions.

“The technology we have been developing is now sufficiently robust and this, together with changes in customer behavior and a heightened regulatory environment, means that now is the right time to commit to electromobility in our compact equipment ranges in the future,” he says.