47 E-Mobility Engineering | January/February 2026 Volvo Construction Equipment | Digest depending on the vehicle class and application. In some cases, a single integrated battery pack is optimal, but in others, such as the compact ECR25 excavator and L25 wheel loader, a modular set-up with multiple packs is much more flexible, easier to service and allows module-level replacement where appropriate, Nedjimi explains. For example, with an operating weight of 2670 kg, the four-wheeled L25 operates on 48 V and features as standard a five-pack lithium-ion battery system with capacity of 40 kWh. As an option, customers can specify an alternative seven-pack system with 56 kWh capacity. The battery system is embedded in the machine’s structure for physical protection – both from damage and from theft – and is designed to be maintenance free. The pack supplies power to two motors. The first is a 22 kW induction motor for the driveline that includes a pair of rigid planetary axles with mechanical differential locks front and rear. The second motor is a 14 kW permanent magnet synchronous machine that runs the hydraulic pump. Both are maintenance free and shut off automatically when not needed to minimise wear. The fully electric driveline halves the requirement for hydraulic oil, and the design provides ground level access for lubrication points. Onboard charging is via a Type 2 automotive standard inlet into the standard 4.6 kW charger, with chargers of 9.2 or 13.6 kW capacity available as options. In contrast, the high-battery-capacity version of the EC230 general-purpose tracked excavator has a high-voltage driveline powered by a 650 V battery pack with NCA chemistry. With capacity of 450 kWh, the pack is based on Volvo CE Penta’s Cube battery architecture. A single Cube battery measures 768 x 684 x 668 mm and has capacity of 90 kWh. The cubic shape, which allows the units to be easily stacked together, is designed for increased energy density and greater flexibility in installation in vehicles that don’t easily accept Volvo CE’s flat-pack batteries. This pack supports maximum operating times between 7 and 9 hours, depending on the application. For charging, it is compatible with Combo2Plug (CCS2) connectors and EU regulated chargers of up to 250 kW capacity. Each track is driven by its own automatic two-speed shift travel motor, while a dedicated third motor drives the hydraulic pumps. Volvo CE is also agnostic towards cell chemistry, basing the choice on the required performance, energy density, cycle life and charging needs. “We work with several technologies, LTO, LFP, NMC, and NCA depending on the weight to the A40 articulated hauler with its 39,000 kg payload. Because the path to decarbonisation differs between markets and customers, the company is investing in multiple propulsion technologies and common platforms that can accommodate them. “Our main focus today remains on battery-electric solutions because they are more mature and supported by a growing charging infrastructure. That said, we continue to explore hydrogen fuel cells and hydrogen combustion engines as longer-term options, depending on how market demand and infrastructure evolve.” In the summer of 2022, for example, Volvo CE began testing the HX04 fuelcell-powered articulated hauler. The 35 tonne, six-wheeled machine draws power from a fuel cell system from PowerCell Sweden that is designed for both the vehicle and the application. The fuel tank can be filled with 12 kg of hydrogen in 7.5 minutes, enough for around 4.5 hours of operation. It was refuelled at a hydrogen filling station supplied by Shell and installed at Volvo CE’s test track in Braås, where the vehicle was put through its paces. The two companies are founding members of H2Accelerate, which is a collaboration of companies working to foster conditions for the mass market roll-out of hydrogen trucks in Europe. HX04 resulted from a strategic sustainable vehicle r&d and innovation project, which ran from 2018 to 2022 with funding from FFI, a national collaboration between the Swedish Innovation Agency VINNOVA, the Swedish Energy Agency, and the Swedish Transport Administration. Besides Volvo CE, partners included RISE – the Research Institutes of Sweden, who provided specialist competence on driveline development and safety – and PowerCell Sweden. Pack architecture agnostic In battery design, Volvo CE supports multiple architectural approaches, The HX04, a prototype fuel-cell powered articulated hauler, tested from 2022 onward as part of a Swedish national project, features a stack from PowerCell Sweden
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