CNH Inaugurates Electric Compact Wheel Loader Production Line in Lecce
The production line for the new electric compact wheel loader was inaugurated at the CNH plant in Lecce, Italy.
The model, conceived and designed in the Puglia plant's R&D centre, will be produced in CASE and New Holland liveries with the 12EV and W40X models respectively. From here, it will reach markets around the world, meeting the growing need for sustainable, zero-emission machinery in the construction and agricultural sectors.
The new model completes the company's range of compact electric vehicles, which already includes the two mini electric excavators produced in Cesena. CNH is responding to the rapidly growing demand for alternative powertrains, driven by the requirements of sectors such as agriculture and livestock farming, in search of high-performance yet silent and zero-emission machines that can operate safely indoors and near animals.
The new electric compact wheel loader, which has been successfully presented at major international trade fairs such as ConEXPO in Las Vegas and Agritechnica in Hanover, offers significant advantages in terms of low noise and zero emissions. These characteristics make it particularly suitable for operating in closed environments, where CO2 emissions are not permitted, on night-time construction sites and in all applications that are sensitive to noise pollution. Furthermore, this type of machine guarantees high performance and lower operating costs than diesel-powered vehicles.
Ciro Casapulla, Head of Construction Product Development, explained the new electric model in detail, emphasising how innovation has always been made in Lecce, and how this, in the case of electrification, entails a paradigm shift: “We have not just replaced the diesel engine with batteries. We have completely revised the design, also drawing on technologies and calculation techniques typical of the aerospace sector. Firstly, by lightening the weight, removing it where it wasn't needed, in a reasoned and calibrated way to increase performance and preserve the machine's autonomy.”
The new electric model has a range of three to six hours depending on the type of application. Recharging can be done with the domestic power socket with the standard 230V on-board charger or with the optional fast charger, which can recharge the 23-kWh lithium-ion battery from 20% to 80% in just 1 hour, the duration of a lunch break, thus enabling continuous use throughout the working day.
The new electric compact wheel loader, 100% Made in Italy, highlights CNH's commitment to investing in technologies for the development of alternative and sustainable propulsion, while reaffirming the strategic centrality of the Lecce plant in the company's production landscape.
