The construction industry, long associated with the roar of gasoline and diesel engines, is experiencing a transformative shift toward equipment that is free of engine emissions and can open new doors to indoor jobsites. This cutting-edge, battery-powered technology is not only reshaping the way work is done but also offering numerous benefits to the industry.
As the industry looks to the future of construction machinery, rugged battery-powered equipment is certainly a part of the picture. If you’ve been wondering how battery-operated equipment could benefit your operation, read on to learn more.
Saving Fuel While Eliminating Maintenance & Noise
The first—and most obvious—advantage of electrifying equipment is the elimination of engine exhaust emissions and fuel savings. Equipment that operates with zero engine exhaust emissions opens up an entirely new world of applications, such as interior construction and demolition, landscape and urban renovation jobs.
The second advantage of battery-powered machinery is the reduced need for regular maintenance. Powerful lithium-ion batteries on electrified equipment mean they don’t need an oil change or fuel stabilizer. Most battery-powered machines only need to be charged using a standard wall outlet.
Another key benefit is noise reduction. Battery-powered equipment is quiet, which allows operation in areas where noise ordinances are a concern. Jobs that previously relied almost entirely on manual labor, either because of indoor conditions or noise ordinances, can now look to battery-powered equipment to bring efficiencies to the jobsite. Plus, there’s the environmental factor. As regulations increase on gas and diesel engines, jobsites can easily meet environmental requirements by turning to battery-powered equipment, which isn’t subject to emissions regulations.
Like all battery-powered equipment, there’s a lower total cost of ownership due to significantly reduced maintenance and fuel-savings. When considering the breadth of capabilities in conjunction with the total cost of ownership over the life of the equipment, battery-powered equipment is incredibly appealing for contractors. This next generation of equipment offers concrete contractors more flexibility and easily increases productivity and efficiency when compared with manual hauling or demolition work.
Battery Power on the Jobsite
All of those factors—zero engine exhaust emissions, low noise levels and environmental regulations—make compact utility loaders, material buggies and jobsite support equipment prime candidates for electrification.
Designed to make quick work of difficult tasks, CULs are workhorses on the jobsite. Battery-powered CULs bring versatility and compact power indoors, improving productivity and eliminating manual labor with their vast capabilities. Everything from indoor construction and demolition, material hauling and more can be accomplished with a battery-powered CUL.
Likewise, material buggies are a staple of the jobsite, but their efficient transportation of materials has been confined to the outdoors. New electric offerings of this industry stalwart can operate indoors, moving material on indoor jobsites with ease and ultimately increasing productivity.
Some manufacturers are thinking through not only how to electrify tried and true machine solutions, but also how to further increase the versatility of these new battery-powered tools.
As contractors continue to realize the advantages of battery-powered equipment, the industry is poised for transformation, and manufacturers are ready to help meet the new demand. Whether it's electric material buggies and compact utility loaders or other key construction equipment, the benefits of battery-power are far-reaching and transformative.
