New for Europe: Fully electric SANY eTRUCKS

Efficiency meets sustainability – emission-free for the construction site

 Electromobility is on the rise. The new fully electric trucks from SANY demonstrate how it can be used effectively in construction site logistics. Boasting outstanding energy efficiency, a long range and zero emissions, they will be used across Europe in the future, particularly in inner cities.

It normally gets extremely loud when a 32-tonne concrete mixer navigates the streets of Berlin’s city centre. But this time, a soft whirring is all that can be heard. We suspect that the machine traversing the streets must be truly innovative – one with a drive that is near-silent as well as emission-free. The name emblazoned on the vehicle gives the game away: iONTRON, an electric mixer from Aichtal-based construction equipment manufacturer Putzmeister.

The chassis, however, is produced by the SANY Group, the third-largest construction equipment manufacturer in the world. Around 10,000 of the company’s electrically powered trucks are used every day in China. SANY has been supplying these vehicles specifically for customers in the construction industry since 2019 – and they have been on the verge of conquering Europe since 2022.

The benefits of fully electric trucks are clear

Their non-reliance on fossil fuels, the reduction in carbon emissions and the significant reduction in noise levels make these the ideal construction vehicle, particularly in inner city traffic. And the new business opportunities that open up through having an emission-free fleet make such an investment even more lucrative.

The Putzmeister P9G I concrete mixer superstructure of the iONTRON was developed by Putzmeister – and is therefore a superstructure “made in Germany”. The electric mixer has already wowed customers in Norway, Iceland, France, Spain and of course in Germany.

This is exactly the idea that the SANY eTRUCKS managers are pursuing: “By working in partnership with other superstructure manufacturers as well as by expanding the portfolio in collaboration with the SANY development team in China, we want to offer extremely attractive electric heavy construction vehicles in Europe,” says Kevin Eichele, Head of Business Development for Europe.

SANY eTRUCKS – advanced technology that quickly pays its own way

Drives that use alternative energy sources have long been a focus of SANY’s research and development team. There are many reasons behind SANY taking on a pioneering role in this. Alongside huge investment in R&D staff and infrastructure, the primary reason is the expertise they have gained through practical experience. Eichele knows how important this is: “Extensive testing was just the start. More important than that for such complex technology was, and still is, a sufficiently long trial phase under real conditions. Feedback from machine operators and operating companies is incorporated at this point, which in turn provides us with valuable expertise to achieve further optimisations.”

The result? In addition to the significantly higher drive efficiency compared to a diesel model, SANY’s electric vehicles stand out for their pleasantly quiet and comfortable driver’s cabs and a thoroughly positive driving experience.

Valentin Kievel, who has been transporting concrete for 15 years, confirms this: “The power is unbelievable. I don’t feel any difference, whether I’m driving off with an empty truck or a full load of concrete. The electric drive is incredibly powerful. I can’t feel any of the usual jerkiness from the gearstick when I’m pulling away.”

Comfortable even when charging

The flexible charging function of SANY eTRUCKS meet all requirements in practical use. This is ensured by the smart interplay of the innovative battery and charging technology. The permanent magnet motor, with its rated output of 250 kW and a peak output of 360 kW, is perfectly matched to the LFP drive battery. At 350 kWh, the drive package provides sufficient power for an entire day on the construction site.

The eTRUCKS demonstrate their practicality in a variety of other ways including, among other things, assistance systems with an advanced emergency braking system, ABS, ESP, blind spot and lane departure warning systems, as well as front parking sensors and a 360° camera.

For cost-efficient entry into or expansion of existing electromobility

The overall cost-effectiveness of a SANY eTRUCK is defined by a number of factors. Primarily it offers an excellent price/performance ratio. “Low energy consumption, reduced repair and maintenance costs thanks to the significantly smaller number of wear parts, as well as the potential financial subsidies, once again significantly reduce the overall costs when compared to vehicles with combustion engines,” explains Eichele.

Taking stock of the situation after completing four concrete delivery trips, driver Valentin Kievel draws a positive conclusion: “A concrete mixer normally consumes 45 to 50 litres of diesel per 100 kilometres. In the new vehicle, consumption is shown on the driver’s screen: we’ve used 171 kilowatt hours today, having driven 110 kilometres and delivered 25 cubic metres of concrete! That’s unbelievable – no diesel mixer can manage that.” As a comparison: 171 kWh corresponds to a calorific value of just under 18 litres of diesel.

After the usual cleaning procedure, Kievel’s iONTRON moves almost silently to the mobile charging station. The charging port is located directly under the driver’s cab, protected by a black flap. One or two CCS2 charging connectors can be inserted. The mobile charging station draws power via a 63 A connector that is connected to the transformer station located there. No diesel smell on his hands, no loud driving noises – for Valentin Kievel, the end of his working day is now a much more relaxed affair.