FCC

LeeBoy unveils commercial-class electric asphalt paver

2023-04-29

LeeBoy has installed a General Motors electric-drive system in place of the 125-horsepower Kubota diesel engine in its most popular 11-ton heavy-commercial 8520C. On the prototype, the business worked with GM as well as Powertrain Control Solutions, which assisted with engineering.

Everything on the paver, excluding the powertrain parts, is the same as it is on the diesel model, according to Brian Hall, a LeeBoy asphalt training specialist, who made the announcement at ConExpo. That includes the screed, the hydraulics, and the control panels.

The only difference, according to Hall, is that you have to engage the battery like you would a starter in order to turn it on; otherwise, it will inform you that it is on. With the exception of the engine components, all the parts and part numbers will be exactly the same. The GM electric-drive components on LeeBoy's 8520C E-Paver are the only major differences between it and the diesel version. The paver has undergone testing, but specifics including battery life and charge time are yet unknown.

It is powered by a 150 kilowatt electric drive motor and a 48 kilowatt-hour battery pack. It may be charged using an on-board AC charger that operates at 120 or 240 volts and offers quick charging. According to Hall, it will receive 10% of a charge when connected to a 240-volt outlet, which is equal to a full charge when kept plugged over night.