Volvo says the electric powertrain construction equipment will completely replace the diesel-powered models including the EC15 and EC27 excavators and the L20 and L28 wheel loaders.
This announcement of the replacement is aggressive compared to similar electric model strategies announced by Caterpillar and Hyundai.
Executives at Volvo say the decision to phase out the diesel counterparts is based on positive feedback from customers who used the prototypes in recent years.
“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," says Volvo CEO Melker Jernberg, on the Volvo Global website.
No maker has plans yet to introduce larger machines powered by electric, as diesel remains the best power source for mid-sized excavators and wheel loaders.
The debut of these models will at the Bauma show in April.
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