当重型设备操作员Rhonda Lepori将LX01车轮装载机转换为在垃圾填埋场周围运输绿色废物时，她必须小心不要偷偷摸摸其他工人。她说：“这是一台快速的机器，但是很安静，所以您必须提防，因为其他人并没有真正听到您的来临。”

The LX01 is Volvo Construction Equipment’s prototype electric-hybrid wheel loader. It underwent real-world testing at Waste Management’s Redwood Landfill in Novato, Calif., for three months last winter, handling biodegradable yard waste as part of a composting operation. Running off a bank of onboard lithium-ion batteries with a 3.6-liter diesel engine recharging them as needed, the LX01 is the first prototype from Volvo CE’s ambitious Electromobility initiative.

为了建立由姊妹公司沃尔沃卡车开发的电池技术，沃尔沃CE正在尝试电动机。沃尔沃CE高级工程师产品总监肯特·迈耶斯（Kent Meyers）说：“有了LX01，我们有98％的新零件。”“我们不想将这台特定的机器投入生产，而是想看看这条路带我们去哪里。”除了LX01车轮装载机外，沃尔沃CE还开发了原型电型紧凑型挖掘机。

沃尔沃CE tested the LX01 at two WM locations in California: the Redwood landfill and a facility in Moreno Valley. The trials took place from November 2016 to May 2017 and were sponsored by the California Energy Commission and CALSTART, a clean-energy advocacy group. A report on the LX01’s performance during the trials will be presented to the energy commission in September.

“新利18备用网址这样的项目有助于加利福尼亚州实现其雄心勃勃的气候变化目标，改善空气质量并支持经济，”能源委员会替代和可再生燃料和车辆技术经理约翰·巴特勒（John Butler）说。“我们期待着继续从事这样的创新项目，迫不及待想看到像LX01这样的机器在加利福尼亚州部署的机器。新利18备用网址

While the final results from the trials are not yet in, earlier testing saw fuel savings of up to 50%. “We have maybe 20% idle time on one of our big machines that runs 7.5 to 9 gallons an hour, all day,” says John Meese, senior director for heavy equipment with WM. “This thing runs for a couple of hours and burns 4.5 gallons an hour while it recharges everything. The difference in fuel alone for what it does is dramatic.”

By shifting to an electric drive, Volvo CE engineers could change up the typical wheel loader design. Each wheel is controlled by an electric motor and there are no axles, allowing the hydraulic linkage to be brought in closer for greater lift capacity. The absence of a large diesel engine or bulky emissions controls in the rear also let designers put in a steeply sloped hood, improving the operator’s sight lines in the back. “Visibility is huge for me,” says Lepori. “I’m working around people on the ground all the time."

During the trials, the LX01 recharged each evening at a custom 600V charging station, and only engaged the diesel generator during the day as needed. By decoupling the drivetrain and hydraulics from the engine, technicians were able to fine-tune performance through software to suit the individual operator’s style.

Wm的Meese看到了戏剧性的重新设计中的其他好处。他说：“轮胎是一笔巨大的费用。”可编程扭矩使操作员可以减少车轮滑移，这是WM站点轮胎损坏的主要原因。“材料几乎没有什么可以结束的，因为底盘上的任何东西都没有暴露出来。我们可能会提前支付更多费用，但我们会在一生中恢复原状。”他说。