It was a sunny August day for the unveiling of the two machines at Volvo CE’s plant in Konz that lies within the fertile Mosel River valley in western Germany. Around 1,000 people work at the R&D and manufacturing site which already manufactures the compact wheeled loaders L20-L50, wheeled excavators EW140-EW210 and EWR150 and crawler excavators EC160-EC250.
The road-approved EWR170E can be configured with standard 2.5m-wide axles or – to boost stability – 2.75m axles and a blade. The combined positioning of the engine at the back of the machine, with the extra available space at the front right of the machine, offers a clear view to the right.
There is the option of Volvo Smart View – three cameras attached to the frame that combine to show a real-time bird’s eye view of the machine’s operating area. This can be integrated into the machine’s display or as a stand-alone screen.
The operator can select from a range of joystick grips and customise the controls to create a shortcut for the wipers, cameras or mute function. Meanwhile, optional Comfort Drive Control (CDC) allows steering using only the roller on the joystick up to 20kph – a new feature for the Volvo wheeled excavator range, explains Marc Engles, global product manager for wheeled excavators.
An optional welcome light is controlled remotely by the operator who might be approaching the machine from a distance, especially useful on northern European sites during extended dark winters. In the new LED light package, there is an additional seventh work light to be fitted next to the side camera.
The EWR170E can be fitted with the automatic digging brake that engages the service brake and locks the oscillation when the machine’s speed is at zero.
Fuel efficiency is complemented by the renowned Tier 4 Final/Stage IV-compliant Volvo engine, offering high torque at low engine speeds. Additionally, the auto idle function reduces engine speed to a tickover when the controls are inactive for a preset amount of time; an auto engine shutdown kicks in when the machine is inactive for a prescribed period.
To boost stability when travelling at high speed over rough terrain, the EWR170E has an optional Boom Suspension System. Complete with a hydraulic circuit and gas pressure dampers, the BSS automatically engages at 5kph to absorb shocks, which may unsettle the bucket load.
Meanwhile, Volvo CE’s EW220E wheeled excavator – taking over from the EW210D – has a new heavy-duty two-piece boom for greater lifting capacity. Also, the machine can reach material over 10m away.
Customers can choose high quality tyres in single and twin varieties to suit ground conditions. Like the EWR170E, it has the optional Boom Suspension System.
The EW220E is available from the factory in two styles - road homologated or off-road with a heavier counterweight. Similar to the EWR170E, there is the optional Comfort Drive Control to steer the machine using only the roller on the left joystick.
However, says Engles, specific to the EW220E and its material handler variant, the EW220E’s steering column can be factory removed for greater forward vision and the operator can then control the entire machine – including the tilt rotator, blade and outriggers – using only the CDC joysticks.
Engles says the EW220E is a real off-road machine for heavy work, often trench digging and pipelaying. To allow for the long reach boom, a larger counterweight is needed. But this configuration means the machine exceeds the axle weight limit for road travel. No road travel means there is no legal requirement for a steering wheel.
The E-Series wheeled excavator can be customised with a range of Volvo attachments for improved cycle times and fuel efficiency. The new ditching buckets are designed for landscaping, slope shaping and ditch maintenance, while the factory-fitted Steelwrist tiltrotator offers greater control. Optional auxiliary lines boost flow and pressure when operating attachments require a one or two-way flow.
