The LX2 is Volvo鈥檚 latest concept zero-emission machine and it claims reduced operational costs compared to conventional counterparts. It is a second-generation prototype that is not yet commercially available.
The LX2 was presented at the Volvo Group鈥檚 fourth Innovation Summit, held in Berlin, Germany, alongside autonomous and electromobility innovations from across the Volvo Group. Also on show was the EX2 fully-electric compact excavator prototype.
鈥淭he electrification of construction equipment will produce cleaner, quieter and more efficient machines 鈥� this represents the future of our industry,鈥� said Patrik Lundblad, senior vice president of technology at Volvo Construction Equipment. 鈥淲e are currently in a period of exponential technology growth and are at the start of a paradigm shift. At Volvo CE we are developing technologies connected to electromobility, automation and connectivity that will benefit our customers and the environment by contributing to increased machine performance, productivity, efficiency, safety and sustainability. Our future products and services will play an important part in building a sustainable society.鈥�
The LX2 is powered by a lithium ion battery that stores enough energy to operate the machine for eight hours in its most common applications, such as light infrastructure construction and landscaping. It also has two dedicated electric motors, one for the drivetrain and one for the hydraulics. Decoupling the subsystems has led to higher efficiency in both the systems and the entire machine, Volvo says.
鈥淭he LX2 is a revolutionary zero-emissions prototype that offers improved efficiency and lower operational costs, without compromising on machine performance,鈥� claimed 聽emerging technologies manager Ulrich Fa脽. 鈥淚t incorporates the latest advanced chemistry battery technology. As it鈥檚 electric, no particulate matter, nitrogen oxide or carbon dioxide are released into the environment. This, together with the fact that it has extremely low noise levels, makes it ideal for use in cities and densely populated areas, as it can be used without disturbing people. This is the same for the EX2 100% electric compact excavator, therefore the machines would be ideally suited to working alongside each other.鈥�
Like the LX2, the EX2 is also part of a research project and is not commercially available. The prototype machine delivers zero emissions, 10 times higher efficiency, 10 times lower noise levels and reduced total cost of ownership compared to its conventional counterparts, it is claimed.
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