Andrew 'AJ' Mahuika, Sales Manager at Intelligro; with Volvo.
Volvo has brought the first of its L20 wheel loaders to New Zealand, with the leading landscape manufacturer placing it on an early testing programme. Verdict: Volvo's new electric charger exceeds expectations!
Landscaping company Intelligro – based near Christchurch, New Zealand – manufactures and sells a range of landscaping, gardening, and civil engineering equipment. Part of that business involves growing large quantities of mulches, sands, and soil mixes for residential and commercial customers in the South Island. The group prides itself on delivering high quality products and excellent service to its customers. And it's not uncommon for heavy equipment, either, to use sixteen loaders on their first job site.
When it was time to retire one of the conventional diesel loaders recently, the company decided to “squeeze” itself with the new Volvo L20 Electric. The results surprised them.
“At first, I was a little skeptical,” explains Andrew 'AJ' Mahuika, Sales Manager at Intelligro. “I thought that since it works with electricity, it won't have the same power or ability as the human one with which we load the wheels. However, it proved to be quite the same and is one of the most comfortable loaders I've driven. I think it exceeded everyone's expectations in terms of its performance. It was very much business as usual.”
Intelligro has been using its new Volvo L20 Electric in its sales yard to load soft goods for its commercial customers. The company says its quiet, precise operation has improved the experience for its customers, as well as machine operators.
“It's not compatible with any of the other loaders we use,” continued AJ, who also commented on the reduced vibration. “Since it's electric, it's very quiet. It emits zero noise. “
The company gets about 6 hours of continuous operation from the L20 Electric. More than enough, in other words, to cover a full day's work. “Unlike diesel machines, electric machines have no idle time,” explains Volvo. “(That) means that when you stop working, the machine stops working too, saving valuable battery life.”
Volvo L20 Electric wheel loader
“The testing of the Volvo L20 Electric wheel loader at Intelligro is important to demonstrate the important role that our electric machines can play in the field of landscape maintenance,” explains Bertrand Collette, Head of the Oceania Market Area at Volvo CE. “(That) is an industry about creating and developing great environments from the ground up … we hope that, by sharing Intelligro's experience, we can encourage others to see how energy solutions can fit into their organizations and help them achieve their sustainability goals. .”
The Volvo L20 Electric was supplied to Itellegro by local dealer, TDX, who provided initial training sessions and ongoing support to users.
SOURCE | PHOTOS: volvo.
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