EQUIPMENT
ADVANCED WHEEL
LOADER TECHNOLOGIES From transparent buckets to electric prototypes, manufacturers are stepping up the segment. BY NATE HENDLEY
12 / OCTOBER 2023
hurdles remain, however, before electric wheel loaders become commonplace on construction sites. “I think we’re all probably struggling with [the idea that] you have an electric vehicle—how do you take care of that on-site? How do you charge it? Because if you’re on a remote site and don’t have voltage, how do you do it? Do you buy a diesel generator? That’s not a solution—because the purpose of buying the electric vehicle was to [eliminate using fossil fuels]. So charging is the big issue,” says Yeomans. For all that, Yeomans, like other industry experts, remains enthusiastic about wheel loader developments. “I’ve been with Volvo since 1977. For me it’s really exciting to see how we transitioned from … basically diesel engines and a manual gearbox, to now where we have electric-drive machines,” he states. With that, here’s a look at what’s new and/or noteworthy in wheel loaders.
CASE Case introduced several enhancements on its G Series wheel loaders in 2021, with an emphasis on cab upgrades. The upgrades were done to benefit operators and make it easier for them to run the machine, says Detra. Upgrades included a new touchscreen display, and an optional payload system for more precise loading. The payload system, integrated into the primary display in the cab, provides data about bucket weight, accumulated/running weight, job tracking, and pass counts. A trio of colour-coded, configurable buttons located on the right armrest, meanwhile, allow operators to pre-program certain settings to make their work more efficient. The G Series also features a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS). Sensors mounted to tire valve stems transit information to a receiver module which forwards this data to the display unit in the cab. The
PHOTO: COURTESY OF DEVELON
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mproved visibility, via “transparent” buckets and other means, operator comfort, and sustainability are all trending on the wheel loader front. Of these developments, sustainability is attracting particular notice. “If you look at the sustainability side, everybody’s trying to figure out what direction to go, what to use to help their fuel savings … You’ll see people looking at different types of transmissions that will give you better fuel consumptions, so there are a lot of ways to chase it,” says Neil Detra, product manager for wheel loaders and compact wheel loaders at Case Construction Equipment. “Everybody wants to reduce their carbon footprint,” agrees Eric Yeomans, product manager for wheel loaders at Volvo Construction Equipment. In Volvo’s homeland of Sweden, HVO or “Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil” (oil derived from fats and vegetables) is sometimes used to power vehicles, says Yeomans. Plantbased bio-fuel is also a niche fossil fuel alternative in North America. While other alternatives such as hydrogen remain largely conceptual for the time being, electric wheel loaders are now a reality. Electric prototypes have been introduced and R&D is ongoing. Some high
