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CNH’s new all-electric compact wheel loader will look to solve the growing need for zero-emission machinery in the construction and agricultural sectors.
CNH officially inaugurated its new production line for its first all-electric compact wheel loader on July 3rd at the CNH plant in Lecce, Italy. The new line is integrated into CNH’s existing Lecce, Italy plant, which spans over 6.4 million square feet.
The machine, which was first conceptualized and designed in the Puglia plant’s R&D centre, will be produced in CASE and New Holland liveries before it’s made available internationally.
The electric compact wheel loader offers reduced noise in addition to the emissions-free powerplant. This makes the new model an effective option for indoor operation, on nighttime construction sites, and in applications which are sensitive to noise pollution.
Additionally, it reportedly offers higher performance and lower operating costs than its diesel-powered counterparts. The weight reduction, achieved in part by a “lattice” boom, enhances the tipping load by shifting weight to the rear, resulting in greater loading capacity and stability. Another significant advancement, adapted from high-end diesel models, is the use of electro-hydraulic controls for improved efficiency and precision.
The new electric model delivers an estimated battery life of three to six hours, depending on the application. It can be charged with both the 230V on-board charger or the optional fast charger. Charging the 23kWh lithium-ion battery from 20% to 80% is claimed to take less than an hour.
Construction product head Ciro Casapulla stressed that CNH hadn’t “just replaced the diesel engine with batteries.” Instead, it had “completely revised” the design by borrowing techniques from the aerospace industry.
Electric construction vehicles are still relatively rare, with even heavyweights like Caterpillar only just getting into the sector. CNH and other companies have typically focused their research on heavily automated equipment that can ease the burden on operators and deliver higher-quality results.
Longevity, serviceability, and other concerns have limited the appeal of EVs in construction. The tech is getting to the point where it can handle realistic workloads, though, and there’s pressure to electrify as Europe and other regions phase out combustion engines.
