Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) has developed the first protocol for charging construction equipment powered by electric motors, stating that the system will contribute to a standardized, reliable, and efficient electric ecosystem for construction.

As a result, Volvo CE is making its 48-volt DC charging protocol available for electric charging solutions, aiming to accelerate electrification and make it easier for customers with multi-brand fleets.

Currently, there is no industry standard for 48V DC (direct current) charging solutions – the power required for compact electric machines. This means that customers likely need to source multiple different chargers if they have a multi-brand fleet.

Volvo CE has published its own brand-agnostic software protocol, as well as the specifications of the plug used on its on-board 48V DC chargers – commonly known as fast charging. This allows other OEMs and suppliers to use it in developing their own charging solutions for compact machines.

By doing so, the OEM aims to "facilitate and accelerate the electromobility transformation," helping the wider industry create more charging solutions – based on a common protocol – for the benefit of customers transitioning to emission-free solutions.

Volvo CE has one of the largest ranges of electric equipment in construction, with compact excavators and wheel loaders available commercially since 2020, as well as the 23-ton electric excavator EC230.

"We want to contribute to a standardized, reliable, and efficient electric ecosystem that enables our customers' access to electricity. Today, without a brand-independent standard charging interface for compact machines, our customers will need different chargers for different machine brands," said Fredrik Tjernström, electromobility solutions sales at Volvo CE.

"By making our charging interface public, we hope to see more and more charging solution providers and other OEM machine manufacturers using the same charging protocol – moving one step closer to an industry standard for the benefit of customers everywhere."

A 48V power source is designed for the smallest range of compact construction machines. For Volvo CE, this currently applies to the compact excavators ECR18 Electric, EC18 Electric, and ECR25 Electric, as well as the compact wheel loaders L20 Electric and L25 Electric, and the asphalt compactor DD25 Electric.

For heavier equipment, a 600V power source is required. There is already an industry-standard protocol for this voltage, which was designed by the automotive industry.

The Volvo CE 48V DC protocol is a free resource and is available at https://www.volvoce.com/global/en/our-offer/emobility/48V-protocol