The advantages of electric construction equipment are compelling—on paper—but the construction industry is conservative by nature, and companies will insist on extensive real-world testing before committing to major orders.

Electric construction equipment is being put to the test in France, where Vinci Construction subsidiary Emulithe and equipment provider Fayat are carrying out what they say is the “world’s first” roadworks project to use 100% electric equipment.

The companies are resurfacing a street in Chevilly-Larue, France. When they’re done, the street will be one-way and will include a cycle path.

Following two days of training, Emulithe’s team successfully used a pure electric sprayer, paver and roller provided by the Fayat Group. The crew evaluated the performance of the new electric machines—which the company says is identical to their combustion-engine equivalents—as well as their battery life.

Equipment used on the project:

• The Box, from Secmair, a sprayer designed with decarbonization in mind.
• The SD1800W e, an electric urban paver, manufactured by Dynapac. It has a 98 kWh battery pack and boasts a low noise level.
• The Bomag BW 100 ADe-5 electric roller operates silently and features a high-visibility information display on the dashboard.

Source: International Construction