These two companies are electrifying asphalt paving in the US

Asphalt paving equipment maker LeeBoy and battery storage maker Portable Electric are working together to electrify the asphalt paving industry.

Electrifying asphalt paving

Earlier this year, North Carolina-based LeeBoy debuted the prototype of its 8520C E-Paver. It’s a commercial-class electric asphalt paver that has a 150kW GM electric drive system, but everything else – e.g., the screed, controls, and hydraulics – is the same as the company’s diesel model.

The 8520C E-Paver has a 48-kWh battery pack. It can be charged by a 120V or 240V AC onboard charger. So LeeBoy has been trialing Vancouver, Canada-based Portable Electric’s Voltstack 30k Level 2 mobile e-charger to charge the electric asphalt paver onsite.

Chris Broome, senior product manager at LeeBoy, said, “Today, with the Voltstack Level 2 e-Charger, we have the ability to recharge the paver for 15 minutes at Level 2 and get an extra 19 tonnes of asphalt. In terms of future solutions, Level 3 is critical to our success. With Level 3 charging, the same 15-minute charging window will lead to an additional 57 tonnes of asphalt. That extra production will be game-changing.”

As for charging the charger itself, the Voltstack 30k e-charger is an 80 kWh capacity onsite power source that takes anywhere from 3.5 (80A) to 12 hours (40A) to charge.

Electrek’s Take

Asphalt pavers, like a lot of construction equipment, aren’t continuously used throughout the day. LeeBoy’s electric asphalt paver powers down when it’s put in neutral and waiting for trucks to do their thing.

But with a Level 2 portable battery onsite for any needed power top-ups, the electric asphalt paver is going to run a lot more efficiently throughout the workday, and construction workers will gain confidence in using electric heavy equipment.

I’d be interested to learn whether LeeBoy still felt it needed Level 3 charging when the pilot finished.

Read more: The Port of Baltimore just bought an electric wheel loader

Photo: Portable Electric

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