Volvo CE Research Shows Increased Benefits of Hybrid Technology

June 16, 2008
New research shows that the construction equipment industry could reduce its carbon footprint by millions of tons a year and radically cut fuel consumption by a wholesale adoption of hybrid technology.

New research shows that the construction equipment industry could reduce its carbon footprint by millions of tons a year and radically cut fuel consumption by a wholesale adoption of hybrid technology. That was the message of a recent speech given by Volvo Construction Equipment’s Arvid Rinaldo. The presentation, to a group of international business journalists in Sweden, said that continuing research into diesel-electric hybrids showed benefits in fuel reduction, CO2 emissions and performance significantly larger than previously stated.

“Hybrids are not a gimmick — construction equipment responds extremely well to the technology,” said Rinaldo. “We are facing the very real prospect of fuel savings up to 50 percent, significant performance increases and a reduction in CO2 emissions in the order of millions of tons a year, if adopted industry-wide.”

Volvo CE was the first company to officially launch a commercially available hybrid wheel loader when it unveiled its L220F Hybrid in the U.S., in March. Working in cooperation with Volvo Group companies Volvo Technology and Volvo Powertrain, Volvo CE will start deliveries of its L220F Hybrid in late 2009.

On June 5, Tony Helsham, president and chief executive of Volvo CE gave a presentation entitled ‘What happens next?’ to an audience of 100 leading international trade press journalists. In this presentation, Helsham stated that the company is well positioned to benefit from the continued strong growth of countries such as Brazil, Russia, India and China.

“Although growth has slowed in North America and Europe, we still see over two thirds of the global construction equipment industry continuing to expand,” said Helsham. “Because of this, I believe the industry has a much more positive outlook than it would have had at a similar point in previous business cycles.”

With the addition of its new road machinery range and the introduction of the acquired low cost range of Chinese-made SDLG wheel loaders into emerging economies, Helsham said he believed that Volvo CE was ‘particularly well placed’ to capitalize on the continued growth in these markets. Citing figures showing the massive infrastructure investments India, China and Russia alone are planning, he said, “These product additions to our offering open up a new customer base and are destined to be transformational for Volvo CE’s business as a whole.”