SOURCE: Volvo CE | September 18, 2026
VOLVO Construction Equipment are taking another important step in developing electric construction solutions as they begin customer testing of the first-ever EC500 Electric pre-build machine in Norway. Equipped with both battery and grid-connected capabilities, including a 35m cable reel, the 50-tonne-class machine is being tested in demanding real-world applications while Volvo CE works with customers to refine the final product.
The Swedish OEM says customer testing will help refine the EC500 Electric to meet real-world job-site requirements, with feedback from Norway supporting further improvements in reliability, quality and performance.
The EC500 Electric pre-built machine delivers the same high levels of performance customers expect from the EC500, while introducing a flexible electric power system. The ability to operate on onboard battery power or with a grid connection supported by the battery system gives customers greater flexibility in how they use electric power on site.
Equipped with a cable reel, the EC500 Electric machine can operate while connected to the grid, with its onboard battery system providing support. The battery capacity provides 2-3h of operation, depending on the application and operating conditions, and supports intelligent grid energy management.
The intelligent electric system is designed to adapt to various grid conditions on a 400V base, helping customers manage the practical realities of site power availability and providing greater flexibility while reducing the demands placed on job-site power infrastructure.
With onboard battery capacity, the EC500 Electric can move, load and unload, relocate for blasting, or continue working without a grid connection, helping operations stay productive even when access to power is restricted.
Combined with intelligent grid energy management, the battery system can also support peak shaving and adapt to varying grid conditions, reducing the need for high-capacity grid infrastructure, helping customers lower investment costs and increase the feasibility of electric power, while maintaining the performance required of a 50-tonne-class machine.
Customer input is central to developing the EC500 Electric. By testing the machine in live working environments, Volvo CE can gather detailed feedback on machine behaviour, performance, charging and grid connection, operator experience, and practical site integration.
This collaborative approach ensures that the machine is developed not only with technical considerations in mind, but also with the day-to-day requirements of customers working in some of the most demanding applications.
The machine is currently being used across a range of demanding customer applications, including quarrying, road building and tunnel projects. The testing programme gathers direct customer input in the final stages of development, with insights from the customer testing programme in Norway feeding directly into the product’s final development, ensuring the machine is refined to meet real job-site requirements.
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