Battery Electric Vehicle Technology

Pablo Gomez, VP of Sales for Mexico, Caribbean, Central America & Key Accounts, LiuGong North America

Is it fair to say we are headed for an electric revolution within our industry? It certainly feels that way.

But the bigger question is asking whether it makes sense to switch key parts of your fleet to electric vehicles.

And the way the world is moving both technologically and environmentally, doing so sooner can offer strategic benefits that help you and your customers.

Electric vehicles in this space can seem daunting at first. They require a different set of operating parameters and instructions. They come with different physical components. They are, by definition, radically different machines.

Once you can get past the big changes on the surface, the features and benefits of going electric will make more sense and may help serve you better going forward.

When you’re looking for electric vehicle technology, you want to know it’s been tried-and-true. We began our investment into electric vehicle research and development nearly a decade ago, in 2014. Since then, we built the first electric vehicle wheel loader in 2018 and launched it in 2020.

Since then, we built the first electric vehicle wheel loader in 2018 and launched it in 2020. With major international awards achieved in 2021 and 2022, we are recognized as a global leader in electric vehicle technology.

The second thing you want to know is also rather simple: How well and how long does it run? Since you’re running an electric vehicle off a charge rather than fuel, you need to know that a machine will be available to be online for most of your work time.

Our LiuGong 856H-E MAX wheel loader model runs off a 350kWh large capacity, lithium-ion phosphate battery from CATL. This has a 10-hour working capability for light applications and 8-hour working capability for heavy applications. It can be fast charged in 1.5 hours and has an Intelligent Battery Management System.

"Electric vehicles in this space can seem daunting at first. They require a different set of operating parameters and instructions"

The best part is, you don’t have to trade power for the efficiency of the 856H-E MAX. At a constant speed, this wheel loader maintains optimum traction force to easily push materials or loads, increasing productivity and ensuring your work is done as efficiently as possible.

Enhancements within the cab also allow for better operational visibility, comfort, performance and safety. Operators can enjoy easier, more comfortable and safer applications with electric proportional fingertip control and significantly reduced noise for city regulations and operator health.

But if you’re really looking to invest, the key question you want answered is how much it costs. 

There’s the initial up-front cost of purchasing an electric vehicle, but you’ll find significant savings in operational and maintenance costs.

Because of the length of time our electric machines have been in the field, we’ve been able to gain hundreds of insights from our customers as they’ve used them. And the numbers they’ve reported are significant: over a 5-year period, operational costs can be cut by up to 70% and maintenance costs up to 50%.

Additionally, not only is there no fuel on an electric wheel loader, but the Intelligent Battery Management System helps restore energy during the process and work longer between charges.

We understand you may be apprehensive of the change that comes with shifting from traditional diesel-powered machines to battery electric vehicles on the job site. But we want to help ease any concerns or questions you may have, thanks to the long and extensive work our team has put in in this area before they have come mainstream. Customers can contact our dealer network or field support team for more information.

Bio and Headshot – Pablo Gomez

Pablo Gomez joined LiuGong North America in early 2022 as Vice President of Sales for Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean and Key Accounts, and adds the battery electric vehicle range of products to his portfolio of focus in 2023. He has more than 15 years’ experience in the construction equipment industry. He holds an Economics degree from Universidad Iberoamericana, Mexico City.