Volvo » HX2

Volvo Construction Equipment unveiled the second generation of a fully electric autonomous dump truck in 2017. The battery-powered HX2 study is part of a research project aimed at significantly reducing the emissions and total cost of ownership of the quarry and ballast industry.

“The HX2 is fundamentally different to the HX1,” says Uwe Müller, Volvo CE’s chief project manager for the electric site project. “The HX1 was proof of concept. Once we knew it was feasible we updated the design requirements for the HX2 to incorporate shared technologies and components from the Volvo Group, such as electric motors, batteries and power electronics. Integrating a completely new drivetrain was crucial to take full advantage of the groundbreaking electromobility developments that are happening inside the Volvo Group. Another new feature is the addition of a vision system, which allows the machine to detect humans and obstacles in its vicinity.”

As part of a pilot project, the entire transport process is to be handled electrically in a quarry. For this, new machines, working methods and management systems have to be developed. In addition to the all-electric HX2, the developed electric vehicles also include a hybrid wheel loader LX1 and an electrified excavator EX1.