Why is this the right time to invest in the electrification of work machines?

The electrification of work machines is no longer a new concept. Electrification has been around for a long time, and many of the most advanced work machine manufacturers already have their own electric products on the market. Still, power lines and their solutions are constantly being updated and offer many advantages over previous versions. So why should you start designing a new electrified version or your first production version right now?

Environmental friendliness

We live in a time where the world’s attention has temporarily shifted from the environment to global politics. However, the long-term importance of the environment for the future of humanity has not changed in any way. Legislation and various emission targets, among other things, are steering activities towards more environmentally sustainable solutions. There is a growing demand for locally emission-free or less polluting work sites. A practical example of this are mines, that have recently had to carefully consider ways to reduce pollution and emissions in their operations. This consideration is leading to significant changes in operations. A good example of this is the Kemi mine, where a new type of completely emission-free scaling machine is being introduced (article in finnish).

Cost efficiency

When calculating the costs over the entire life cycle of a machine, electric machines are often more affordable overall. The initial investment may be higher, but when you factor in energy costs, including transportation and storage, maintenance costs, repairs, and machine downtime, the end result is often quite affordable. Electric work machines also offer the opportunity to take advantage of daily fluctuations in energy prices, for example by charging batteries at times when energy prices are at their lowest. There are no such rapid price fluctuations for fuels.

Technological development

Battery technology is constantly evolving at a rapid pace. Recent developments have resulted in cheaper and lighter batteries with higher energy density. Control devices are also advancing quickly, with the latest models offering clear advantages over devices from just a few years ago. While technology itself has advanced in leaps and bounds, smart software has kept pace. Today, software learns from surroundings and its own activities and is able to optimize performance to be faster, more affordable, and even safer.

Safety

Safety considerations are critical in product development. Electrical engineering and control systems are governed by numerous regulations, which ensure that they are continuously developed to be safer and more user-friendly. With the advent of electric power lines, for example, noise pollution and machine vibration have been significantly reduced. This development is positive from the perspective of both environmental impact and driver comfort and safety.

The future

Electrification is progressing rapidly, driven by various incentives, rules, and regulations. Clear impetus for development comes in particular from benefits such as low total cost of ownership and reputational gains. Company communications often highlight everything that has already been done to protect the environment. On the other hand, environmental regulations and site-specific requirements have already become stricter and will certainly continue to be tightened in the future. In some countries, we have already seen fully electric construction sites, for example, and I believe that these will only increase down the line. In order to remain competitive in the future, it is worth starting to invest in electrification right now.