Series production of Schaffer’s new 23e and 24e electric loaders is in full swing. One of the first customers was the City of Paris, which placed an initial order for six machines. These are being put to good use in a range of locations, including the ’Bois de Boulogne’, a botanical garden in the west of Paris. Other locations include cemeteries, other parks in the city, as well as tree nurseries and equestrian centres. The innovative machines are the world’s first wheel loaders equipped with a lithium-ion battery.
Paris is committed to a plan to ban diesel vehicles in the city from 2024, and petrol cars from 2030. There are several conventionally operated Schäffer loaders already in municipal use in the French capital. Gradually these are to be replaced by the new emission-free types. The absence of exhaust emissions was a major factor in the switch to electrically operated chargers, but not the only advantage offered. Their low-noise operation brings real benefits in parks, cemeteries and other public facilities too.
The electric loaders were each delivered with an earth bucket and a pallet fork, equipped to carry out a wide variety of loading and transport work in a range of city locations. The technical innovations in these new ranges include the lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 6.7 kWh. By adding a second battery pack, it is possible to double the capacity of the battery to 13.4 kWh in order to extend the operating time to 5 hours and more. As standard, the machines are equipped with an internal charger, so the machine can be charged with conventional 230 V household electricity supply.
All components of the drive system are perfectly matched to the electric drive. Together with the lithium-ion battery, the loader achieves an efficiency about three times as high as that of a comparable diesel engine. This means that only one third as much energy is needed to operate the machine. Maintenance of the electric motors and battery takes considerably less effort too, which further reduces the costs per operating hour.
The use of lithium-ion technology makes the 24e a real innovation. As the only electric loader to reach a speed of 20 kph and with the fast acceleration typical of electric vehicles, the new loader is a pleasure to drive.