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Volvo deploys first electric articulated haulers for series production at Norwegian hydropower project
Imager: (c) VolvoCE
Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) has delivered the world's first series-produced, 30-ton class electric articulated haulers to the Norwegian construction company LNS (Leonhard Nilsen & Sønner AS). The battery-electric Volvo A30 Electric haulers are being used in the construction of the Hemsil 3 hydropower plant on behalf of Hafslund Kraft.
Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) has delivered the world's first series-produced, 30-ton class electric articulated haulers to the Norwegian construction company LNS (Leonhard Nilsen & Sønner AS). The battery-electric Volvo A30 Electric haulers are being used in the construction of the Hemsil 3 hydropower plant on behalf of Hafslund Kraft.
An initial fleet of four Volvo A30 Electric units was handed over to LNS, with three more vehicles scheduled to follow the next month. The project in Norway's Hallingdal region is expected to be completed by 2029 and will increase the hydropower plant's annual electricity generation by around 110 GWh. At the same time, the zero-emission machines will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions during the construction phase. The articulated haulers were manufactured at Volvo CE's Braås plant in Sweden and transported over a distance of around 700 kilometers (approx. 435 miles) to the job site.
(c) VolvoCE
Operation under demanding conditions
The electric articulated haulers are primarily being used to construct a tunnel spanning roughly 20 kilometers (approx. 12.4 miles). According to Volvo CE, the zero-emission vehicles are particularly well-suited for confined and sensitive work environments because they operate without exhaust fumes. Additionally, the blasting cycles in tunnel construction provide ample time to recharge the machines between shifts.
LNS had been advocating for electric articulated haulers for several years. The company views this project as an ideal use case for the new technology and calls the deployment of these vehicles a major step toward a more sustainable construction industry. Hafslund Kraft also stated that its goal is to systematically electrify construction projects and drive infrastructure decarbonization forward through the use of new technologies.