Volvo wheel loader offers 10% saving on fuel

Volvo will put a hybrid wheel loader into production next year. The L220F is said to provide fuel savings of 10% as well as improved performance and Volvo CE's chief executive Tony Helsham said the machine will pay back any on-cost in two years.

In addition to the usual drivetrain, the hybrid has a 50kW starter generator sandwiched between the engine and the transmission.

During undemanding operation the generator charges the lithium ion batteries and when extra power is required the generator switches to a motor and delivers up to an additional 50kW with 700Nm of torque.

This extra power is mainly used to start the machine from standstill and when driving into a stockpile - thereby reducing cycle time and improving digging performance.

Unlike the prototype on display at Conexpo, production versions will get regenerative braking.

In addition, as up to 40% of a wheel loader's time can be spent idling, the hybrid system allows the engine to be turned off (with all the auxiliaries such as air conditioning run from the batteries) and instantly restarted up to working speed by the starter generator. This will prolong the engine's life as well as saving fuel, Volvo said.