Volvo Construction Equipment demonstrated its LX1 prototype mid-sized hybrid-electric wheel loader. The 20-ton loader achieved a fifty percent improvement in fuel efficiency over the same model with standard diesel only.
The LX1 is a series hybrid 20-ton front loader with electric drive motors mounted at the wheels, electric-driven hydraulics, and a battery storage system with a small 3-liter diesel engine for power production. As well as the improvement in fuel efficiency and reduction in emissions, the LX1 also offers a significant reduction in noise pollution compared to its conventional counterparts. The prototype—which has 98% new parts and a fundamentally new machine design—is capable of doing the work of a wheel loader that’s one size larger.
CALSTART, a non-profit clean transportation technology industry organization, conducted independent testing of the prototype and confirmed the 50% improvement in fuel efficiency on average. Testing was conducted at the Redwood Landfill and Recycling Center in Northern California. Secondary tests were conducted in Southern California at the Moreno Valley Transfer Station.
Aaron is an automotive journalist living in Wyoming, USA. His background includes technology, mechanics, commercial vehicles, and new vehicle evaluations. Aaron is a member of several automotive media groups and writes for many well-known publications.