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2. Wheeled loaders go electric in China

As with many other equipment types, wheeled loader sales in China are suffering due to a weak real estate market and the scaling back of infrastructure investment. However, the mining industry remains strong and is driving impressive demand for electric machines, according to Off-Highway Research’s new report, The Wheeled Loader Industry in China.

Some two thirds of the 55,000 unit per year wheeled loader market in China is for 5 tonne capacity machines, which is to say those with around a 230 horsepower engine. It is this class (and higher) which are the focus of electrification. Such machines are popular in mining and quarrying where the permanent nature of the sites mean it is practically possible to install grid-linked charging infrastructure and the investment case to do so is strong.

Off-Highway Research’s report said, “Currently there are 30 suppliers offering electric wheeled loaders (EWL) in China, and more companies from other industries will join the fray in the future. It is probable that battery prices will decline further, given the falling prices of raw materials and overcapacity. The increasingly crowded EWL sector will make EWLs more attractive and affordable to the current owners of diesel-engine machines with even fewer working hours.”

At 68 pages, The Wheeled Loader Industry in China is believed to be the most comprehensive report ever published on the subject, with analysis covering market size, market shares, production, foreign trade, market structure, distribution networks, equipment population, machines available and a five-year forecast.

The report is available to subscribers to Off-Highway Research’s China Expert service and can also be bought as a stand alone report. Click here for details.

Contact [email protected] for more details about our reports and subscription packages.