Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) has delivered the world’s first series-produced A30 Electric articulated haulers to Norwegian construction contractor Leonhard Nilsen & Sønner AS (LNS), marking the first commercial deployment of the battery-electric heavy-duty vehicles.
The initial delivery includes four A30 Electric haulers, with three additional units scheduled to be supplied in the coming weeks. The vehicles will support construction work on the Hemsil 3 hydropower plant in Hallingdal, Norway, where they will be operated by LNS on behalf of energy company Hafslund Kraft.
Electric Haulers Begin Work on Hydropower Project
The A30 Electric haulers will transport materials during the construction of an approximately 20-kilometer tunnel for the Hemsil 3 project, which is expected to be completed by 2029. Once operational, the hydropower facility is projected to increase annual electricity generation by around 110 gigawatt-hours.
Project partners said tunnel construction provides favorable operating conditions for battery-electric machinery. Scheduled blasting intervals create opportunities to recharge the vehicles, while zero tailpipe emissions improve working conditions in enclosed underground environments.
The deployment follows Volvo CE’s start of series production for the A30 Electric and the larger A40 Electric at its Braås manufacturing facility in Sweden earlier this year.
Volvo Expands Electric Construction Equipment Portfolio
Volvo CE said it is the first manufacturer to produce battery-electric articulated haulers of this size on a series-production basis. Norway and the United Kingdom were identified as the first markets to receive the new machines, with the Hemsil 3 project becoming the first commercial application.
The A30 Electric has a payload capacity of 29 tonnes and is powered by a 265-kilowatt electric motor. It is equipped with a 245-kilowatt-hour battery designed to provide between four and four-and-a-half hours of operation, depending on working conditions. The battery can be recharged using charging systems delivering up to 350 kilowatts.
The launch expands Volvo CE’s growing lineup of battery-electric construction equipment, which already includes electric excavators and wheel loaders. The company said electrifying heavy transport equipment remains one of the more challenging areas of the construction industry due to the high energy demands of large machines.
Norway has become one of the leading markets for zero-emission construction equipment, supported by public infrastructure projects that increasingly require low-emission or emission-free machinery. Volvo CE said those projects are helping accelerate the adoption and testing of battery-electric heavy equipment in real-world operating environments.
