EXVO launches a new battery powered Skid Steer

Irish manufacturer EXVO has entered the battery powered market with a new range of wheeled and soon to be launched tracked skid steers, both with removable batteries.

To find out more, Peter Haddock visited product expert Dylan Scott at a builder merchants in Birkenhead to see the arrival of the first machine in the UK, its EX245R, which also has a sister EX227R model.

To test out its performance, operator Conor Traynor used its bucket and fork attachments to move material and load a typical flatbed transit van.

At first sight, the blue and white EX245R comes with a sizable cab, which is easy to access thanks to a foldable door which can also be secured and left open if preferred by the operator.

Looking at the machine from the front, an electrical power connection for all electric attachments is mounted on the left, and on the right are the typical auxiliary hydraulic connections.

Dylan: “We recognise as a new entrant to the market that Skid Steer users may already have a range of typical hydraulically driven attachments, so we have made it easy for them to switch to the EXVO.

“In addition, the electrical connection will future proof the machine, allowing for greater efficiencies when it comes to the increasing number of electric-powered attachments entering the market, like road sweeper brushes.

“We have also added a quick attach solution to make it easier to switch from forks to a bucket in this case, as we know how much of a utility machine Skid Steers can be.”

Once inside the cab, the operator has access to joystick controls and a touchscreen tablet that supports other functions like a return to dig, boom suspension and self levelling modes. The tablet also doubles up to be a screen for the rear view camera and displays stats on the energy available in the battery.

The tablet also allows the operator to switch between power and traction modes whilst also controlling the air conditioning.

As an added safety and comfort feature, in order to get into the seat and operate the machine, two safety arms need to be moved. For the machine to start, both arms need to be in the down position as they act like a dead man switch.

Looking around the machine from the seat the large amount of glass, mirrors and rear view camera offer good visibility to the operator. And when working in the dark the large LED light package illuminates the jobsite.

Talking about the specifications of the boom, Dylan added: “This is the radial lift model, which has a one piece fixed boom welded together. There is also a vertical lift option with an extra linkage to allow the boom to go straight up to a height of  3316 mm.

The 3975kg radial machine has an operating capacity of 1250kg with the vertical lift capable of 1350kg due to the configuration and slight increase in weight to 4025kg. Being the same size both machines have a width of 1788mm with a typical run time of 8 hours. 

Dylan: “When it comes to charging options, we have added a single and three phase charger capability offering 8 hour and 4 hour charging of the battery from zero. But the big news that customers asked for was the capability to quickly change the battery.

“So we have designed a system that allows the user to slide the used battery out and replace it will a fully charged one in around 10 minutes. This is all done from the rear of the machine where we have placed the key maintenance points, including hydraulic fluids and filters and, of course, our electric motor.”

In addition to being electric, the machine also comes with its own onboard telemetry system, which offers geofencing capabilities with alarms raised if the machine is moved out of hours or a fixed location.

Dylan: “Geofencing and being able to report on the health and utilisation of the machine through telemetry is a must now, particularly for our plant hire customers and those using the machines at fixed locations.

“And of course, being electric powered, not only does the machine operate much quieter, it can also be used for indoor and zero emission applications with servicing kept down to a minimum.”

As part of its design and build process EXVO has also teamed up with globally recognised manufacturers for key parts like motors from Benevelli.

Dylan added: “We have built a very robust machine both inside and out, and partnering with recognised component suppliers is part of our focus on delivering machine uptime and performance. Which of course will be supported through a dealer network as we expand into the UK market and beyond.”

What’s it like to operate

With fully electric machines being different to diesel equivalents, I spoke to operator Conor to find out how he found the machine and some of the key features that support its operation.

“Sitting in the seat its very comfortable, and there is plenty of room. Of course, with it being electric, you get that instant power and its very responsive. The joysticks themselves allow you to toggle between your modes for moving the machine, like cruise control, boom suspension and the hydraulic speeds for operating the various attachments.

“So you can set it up for your own preferences for different types of jobs. For example, you can lift the boom up to 3.6 metres, which is great for using the forks to lift materials on and off flatbed trucks on this site.

“And for these applications, the visibility is good, and you don’t have to get too close to the van. Getting into the machine is simple, and I opted for keeping the folding door latched up to make it easier to hop out and change the attachments. Doing this is straightforward as you secure each attachment using the quick change lever, which ensures it’s locked in place safely.”