Volvo Construction Equipment and its partners have just unveiled two new mobile power units to provide onsite charging for both large and compact electric equipment on construction sites in North America.
Electrifying construction sites
According to the press release, Volvo CE teamed up with marine and industrial engine manufacturer Volvo Penta along with two other charging solutions OEMs to develop two new mobile charging units for construction electric equipment.
The two products include the Utility Innovation Group-built PU750 and the Portable Electric-developed PU130.
Volvo CE, along with its partners, formally introduced these new products at the recent Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo in Las Vegas on Monday.
“We all have a common goal to revolutionize the landscape of sustainable technology within the heavy equipment sector. Collaborating on these products allows us to make significant steps forward in the adoptability of electric machines.”
Dr. Ray Gallant, Vice President — Sustainability and Productivity Services at Volvo CE
The PU750
The new PU750 mobile charging unit, built by Utility Innovation Group, is suitable for fast-charging larger equipment on construction sites even without a converter.
Volvo CE asserted that the PU750 employs the Volvo Group CAST (Common Architecture, Shared Technology) strategy, featuring Volvo Penta’s prominent battery sub-system. In effect, the mobile charging unit supports charging globally, especially for mid-size electric machines on various job sites.
“It’s not always clear what power availability you will have for charging on a jobsite, but this solution has been strategically developed to put our microgrid integration and GridSureTM expertise to work in order to dynamically adapt to all utility and on-site generation conditions.”
UIG President Derek Tugwell
The first-gen model offers sufficient power to charge three to four mid-size electric equipment via twin CCS1 connections between charges. Moreover, it can maximize available AC power and utilize on-site distributed energy assets to allow electric vehicle charging with e grid interactive UIG power system.
In addition, it comes with solar panels to ensure energy access even when away from the electric grid.
Presented below are the key specifications of the PU750:
| Feature | PU750 |
| Storage Capacity | 793 kWh |
| DC Fast Charging | 500 kW |
| AC Recharging | 480 kW |
| AC Voltage Support | 400V-38kV |
| AC Frequency | 50-60 Hz |
| Charging Connectors | CCS1 or CCS2 |
| GridSure™ | Yes |
| Neuron OS | No |
The PU130
The new PU130 leverages Portable Electric’s proprietary 48-volt DC fast charging tech. It can charge electric equipment in just sub-1 hour owing to its 130 kWh energy storage capacity and a 20 kW charge rate.
Moreover, it also has the ability to simultaneously yield 40 kW of site power.
“We are incredibly proud to partner with Volvo CE in bringing the PU130 to market. This first-of-its-kind unit is a testament to our shared dedication and the importance of collaboration to reduce the use of carbon-intensive fuels at construction sites.”
Keith Marett, CEO of Portable Electric
Interested customers can obtain the PU130 later this year through Volvo’s dealer network in North America.
Here are the key specifications of the PU130:
| Feature | PU130 |
| Storage Capacity | 130 kWh |
| DC Fast Charging | 20 kW (Low voltage) |
| AC Output | 40 kW |
| GridSure™ | No |
| Neuron OS | Yes |
These two new mobile charging solutions will undoubtedly accelerate the uptake of electrified off-road equipment and reduce carbon emissions in construction sites in North America.
