The Avant Tecno e5 is a battery-operated articulated loader especially suited for indoor areas.
Finnish original equipment manufacturer Avant Tecno used bauma 2016 to show its e5, a new fully electric battery-powered loader concept in the same class as its Avant 500 series, offering zero emissions, low noise and lower running costs. The model has since gone into production at the company’s Ylojarvi, Finland factory and is only expected to be available in Africa sometime next year, according to Jukka Vaattovaara, sales manager – Export at Avant. Avant is represented locally by Avant South Africa.
Vaattovaara says the battery-operated machine is especially suited for indoor areas where no or very little ventilation is possible. Its low noise level enables it to work in noise restricted areas where minimum interference caused by worksite noise is of consideration, for example in hospital or office renovation jobs.
For this reason, demolition and construction projects are highlighted as being among the potential top target markets for the e5. “These customers need a machine with a relatively short working cycle during a work day, and so the battery life is not such a big issue for them,” says Vaattovaara.
The e5 comes with a 201Ah lead acid battery. It has two separate electric motors – 6kW motor for driving the machine and a 2kW motor for loader boom operation and auxiliary hydraulics. The Avant e5 has a 30 litres/minute hydraulic flow which allows it to work with various attachments from a hydraulic hammer through to various grapples.
Operating times
According to Jani Käkelä, sales director at Avant Tecno, operating time for the e5 varies, depending on the type of job at hand. He says between 45 minutes and an hour can be achieved in heavy duty applications with a great deal of pushing and heavy use of auxiliary hydraulics. This can increase to 1,5 to four hours when the machine is applied in medium duty applications with some pushing and heavy to medium use of auxiliary hydraulics. In light duty applications, such as transport driving and lifting with light or no auxiliary hydraulic use, a total of four to five hours of operating time can be achieved.
The loader also comes with an integrated battery charger which makes it possible to charge batteries anywhere a 220V/10A power outlet is available. A battery pack exchange system will be made available in the serial production loaders, enabling the quick changing of batteries. According to Käkelä, this guarantees a continuous full day of operation in heavy and medium duty applications. Charging time for a battery pack to 100% capacity is about five hours, while an 80% battery charging capacity can be reached in about three hours. Meanwhile, in areas where power supply is in close proximity, the loader can be used while plugged in.
