Battery-electric heavy wheel loaders are successfully matching diesel performance in Norwegian tunnel construction projects on the E6 and E134 routes. Following field tests by contractors like Skanska and Metrostav Norge, transport authorities are now evaluating stricter environmental mandates for future infrastructure tenders.
Electric Loaders Match Diesel Performance and Cut Costs
- Performance Parity: Forty-ton electric wheel loaders match or exceed traditional diesel equipment during muck-out operations underground.
- Cost Arbitrage: Operators can significantly slash energy expenditures by leveraging low overnight electricity tariffs instead of consuming up to 1,000 liters of diesel per 12-hour shift.
- Regulatory Shift: Statens vegvesen (The Norwegian Public Roads Administration) plans to leverage these successful trials to enforce stricter requirements for electric operation, supporting goals to cut construction emissions 55% by 2030.
Heavy Equipment Testing on the E6 and E134 Corridors
The viability of battery-electric machinery in subterranean civil engineering has shifted following field deployments. Tests conducted across the E6 Megården–Sommerset project in Nordland and the E134 Røldal–Seljestad development in Vestland demonstrate that electric alternatives can handle some of the heaviest jobs of tunneling. Historically, heavy battery units suffered from insufficient cell capacity and excessively long recharge cycles. Alf-Tore Angelsen, project leader for E6 Megården–Sommerset, notes that the underlying technology has taken a large step forward.
In the eight-kilometer Rismålsheitunnelen north-east of Bodø, contractor Skanska Norge AS deployed a 40-ton battery-electric wheel loader manufactured by China’s XCMG. Operating since May, the machine handles muck-out tasks—clearing blasted rock directly from the tunnel face. According to project manager Bjarte Næss, the unit functions well for its current deployment, though as a primary loader it requires more power. Consequently, Skanska has ordered a larger 60-ton variant from the same manufacturer to serve as primary loader.
| Project Site | Contractor | Tested Machine | Upcoming Upgrade |
|---|---|---|---|
| E6 Rismålsheitunnelen | Skanska Norge AS | 40-Ton XCMG Loader | 60-Ton XCMG Loader |
| E134 Røldalstunnelen | Metrostav Norge AS | 25-Ton Liugong 870HE Max | 40-Ton Electric Loader |
Battery Packs and Charging Schedules Power Underground Equipment
Powering heavy underground equipment requires high-capacity battery infrastructure and disciplined charging schedules. The XCMG test unit deployed by Skanska utilizes a 700-kilowatt-hour battery pack. Recharging occurs primarily during overnight hours when site electricity demand drops, supplemented by charging sessions during the two meal breaks on a 12-hour shift. Field data compiled by Statens vegvesen indicates the machine rarely has less than 30 percent battery capacity at the end of a full workday.
Stian Lauvluten, maskinformann for Skanska, reports that range anxiety among operators dissipated quickly. Beyond mucking, the wheeled units offer operational flexibility compared to other electric solutions, navigating through the tunnel network to handle rock stabilization and other work. Meanwhile, on the E134 Røldal–Seljestad project, contractor Metrostav Norge AS evaluated a 25-ton battery-electric Liugong 870HE Max, paving the way for a 40-ton successor scheduled for deployment this autumn.
Economics and Subsurface Air Quality
Economic incentives are accelerating the transition away from internal combustion engines in confined spaces. Per Fjeldal, climate advisor for Statens vegvesen, points out that a conventional large wheel loader can consume up to 1,000 liters of diesel during a single 12-hour shift. Substituting diesel with lower-cost Norwegian grid power can significantly lower operational expenditures, provided job sites maintain adequate electrical grid capacity.
Environmental and health benefits inside the bore are equally pronounced. Diesel engines emit exhaust particulates and gases in environments where natural ventilation is more difficult than at open sites. Bjarte Næss emphasizes that eliminating these emissions improves underground air quality for construction crews. Risk assessments conducted by Skanska and corroborated by Statens vegvesen safety reports from 2024 conclude that battery-electric machinery in tunnels carries a fire risk profile equal to or lower than conventional diesel machinery, given that burning units must be left to burn out safely in both scenarios regardless of propulsion type.
