Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) and Mack Trucks, both Volvo Group companies, have collaborated to provide on- and off-road electric equipment to Coastal Waste & Recycling, based in Boca Raton, Florida. This partnership aims to support Coastal Waste & Recycling’s sustainability goals.
Coastal Waste & Recycling is piloting a 23-ton EC230 Electric excavator from Volvo CE and has received a Mack LR Electric Class 8 refuse vehicle. The Mack LR Electric will be used for residential and specialized commercial applications in southern Florida.
The EC230 Electric excavator will be deployed at a Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) north of Miami, where Coastal Waste & Recycling receives and sorts recyclable materials. The company expects the EC230 Electric to perform similarly to its diesel counterpart, the EC220EL, by feeding material into a sorting line.
Martin Mattsson, director of Key Account Sales – Waste and Recycling at Volvo CE, expressed optimism about the partnership with Coastal Waste & Recycling. “Coastal Waste & Recycling has been a great partner and has always been interested in any new technology they can incorporate to drive efficiency and excellence throughout their operations,” he said. “Testing this electric excavator directly against its conventional equivalent will teach us a lot.”
The main difference between the electric and diesel excavators is zero emissions and lower noise and vibration levels. The EC230 Electric is also estimated to have 60% to 70% lower energy running costs than the EC220EL.
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Both the EC230 Electric excavator and the Mack LR Electric refuse truck will be charged using the same mobile Heliox 50 kW charger provided by Volvo CE.
Scott Young, head of region North America at Volvo Construction Equipment, highlighted the importance of collaboration in advancing sustainability. “The shift to off-road electrification, especially in heavy construction machines, can’t be accomplished by one single team or company,” he said. “We’re grateful for the chance to partner with customers and other Volvo Group companies to advance sustainability in a variety of industries.”
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The EC230 Electric excavator has been tested by other companies in North America over the past year and is expected to be commercially available later in 2024.
Volvo Construction Equipment began electric machine production at its US headquarters in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, in August 2023.
