Cox Construction, a family-owned operator in Ontario, has deployed two Volvo ECR25 Electric mini excavators at a local mine to break up oversized rocks for crushing operations, marking a shift from diesel-powered equipment to fully electric machinery. The move highlights the growing adoption of electric equipment in heavy-duty material handling and mining applications.
“The transition from the diesel machine that we had before to the electric has basically been seamless,” said Brandon Crumbie, crusher foreman at Cox Construction. “I really like it because there’s less warm-up time. You just hit the key and away you go. It’ll do every job you could ever need.” Cox said the electric units integrate well with the mine’s largely electric crushing and material handling infrastructure, reducing downtime previously required for diesel refueling.
The second-generation ECR25 Electric excavators feature a 40 kWh lithium-ion battery, double the capacity of the original model, providing up to eight hours of continuous operation. Machines can recharge overnight via a 240-volt Level 2 connector or in under an hour using a 50 kW DC fast charger. The company said reduced noise and vibration at the site also improves safety and working conditions, allowing clear communication in an otherwise loud quarry environment.
