Northvolt to supply Pon Equipment with battery systems for excavators

Battery specialist Northvolt said it has signed a supply agreement with Pon Equipment for battery systems that will be integrated into its Z-line 310 and Z-line 320 battery electric excavators.

An initial order of Voltpack Core lithium-ion battery systems will provide Pon, the Cat dealer for Norway and the Netherlands, with a technical solution to be used in combination with electric powertrains for the 90 Z-line excavators it is assembling. The machines are conversions of Caterpillar 310 and 320 diesel-powered hydraulic excavators.

The supply of batteries will be integrated into 12-tonne and 25-tonne variants of the Z-line excavator, featuring 150 and 300 kWh of installed battery systems respectively.

“With this partnership, Northvolt is keenly entering into a new market with its battery systems,” said Emad Zand, president Systems, Northvolt, Stockholm, Sweden. “The electrification of construction equipment will usher in important change for the industry. The solutions we are demonstrating here will come to contribute greatly to a reduction in urban pollution and our dependence on fossil fuels.”

“We are now at our third generation of our battery electric excavators and are increasing our volume significantly,” said Erik Sollerud, managing director of Pon Equipment, based in Skedsmokorset, Norway. “Having a solution-oriented supplier like Northvolt, located close to us and most importantly having a very clear sustainability profile in their manufacturing of batteries, from raw materials to end product, is supporting our strategy. It is exciting to work with the creative and innovative people in Northvolt.”

For both Northvolt and Pon Equipment, the project reportedly reflects an adaptive response of European industry. Governments are increasingly focusing on reducing CO2 emissions attributable to urban construction sites. In several markets, including Norway where Pon Equipment is active, stricter emission requirements and noise limits are being introduced.

In public tenders, construction machinery running on alternative fuels, including battery electric, have become a prerequisite. Silent, zero-emissions electric machines represent a solution to these new circumstances which the two companies seek to advance.

Charging of the Z-line excavators is enabled through a standardized CCS2 quick charging interface, or during the night on a standard utility grid CEE connection.

Operators can expect a runtime between charging when engaged in heavy excavation of between 5 to 6 hours, and between 6 to 8 hours when involved in light operations such as landscaping and light excavation work. The machines can also be run continuously when connected to the grid.