Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) has unveiled its New Generation excavators, setting a new benchmark in the industry. The flagship model in this range, the EC210, a 20-t class excavator, was recently launched in the Southeast Asian region.

Singapore hosted the first launch on 17 January 2025, followed by Thailand on 22 January and Indonesia on 26 February. The New Generation EC210, which meets Tier 3 emission standards, will be progressively introduced to all Southeast Asian markets within this year, said Ramarajan Rangarajan, head of productivity and retail development, Region Asia at Volvo CE. 

“The Singapore government has been focusing on productivity and efficiency improvements, and this enables technology to flow into the country. This is one of the reasons why Singapore is a strategic market for us, making it ideal as the first location in Southeast Asia to launch our new machines,” explained Mr Rangarajan during an interview with SEAC.

“Besides having a greater ability to adopt technology, customers in Singapore are also very diverse in terms of applications,” he added.

In Thailand, the New Generation EC210 excavator was launched at a customer event in Bangkok, held in collaboration with Volvo CE’s newly appointed authorised dealer for the country, Chairatchakarn (Bangkok) Co Ltd (CHAB). In Indonesia, the grand launch event took place in Jakarta, in collaboration with Volvo CE’s local dealer PT Indotruck Utama (ITU). 

Several units of New Generation EC210 have been sold in Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia so far, with further sales expected as the model makes its debut in more markets. “There’s huge interest in our New Generation excavators across Southeast Asia due to its improved performance and higher fuel efficiency,” said Mr Rangarajan.

He noted that over the past few months, “we have seen increasing interest in our sustainable products, including diesel-powered machines, as many organisations in the region gear up for a change and move towards a greener working environment.”

The unveiling of the New Generation excavators aligns with Volvo CE’s ‘Our EDGE to Success’ framework in its Region Asia, emphasising the company’s commitment to delivering customer success through competitive products, excellent services and a dependable distribution network.

Higher productivity and efficiency

According to Mr Rangarajan, Volvo CE’s earlier series – the D series – will be phased out. “The New Generation excavators are completely different with improved features, and will replace the previous models in the D-series.” 

“Our customers focus on a number of critical requirements: performance (how powerful and efficient the machines are), fuel economy, serviceability (how quickly we can service the machines), operator comfort, and safety. The New Generation excavators will deliver each of these requirements,” shared Mr Rangarajan. “There are also additional performance enablers which can be offered to the customers, such as machine guidance that can enhance productivity.”

The New Generation EC210 is engineered to handle the most demanding jobs while delivering exceptional return on investment (ROI). This machine is versatile, combining robust performance with innovative technology, thus setting a new benchmark for productivity and efficiency.

The Volvo engine provides higher power and torque to maximise performance. There are 10 work modes for effective use of engine power in various segments and applications. This powerful engine and matched hydraulics with faster cycle times boost customers’ productivity as never before on a New Generation EC210.

The new EC210 also offers greater onsite safety for operators with three-point side access, emergency shutdown, rear-view camera and anti-slip plates. Operator comfort is ensured with more precise controls, ROPS cab, an ergonomically designed human-machine interface and an enhanced operator environment.

“We didn’t use ROPS cab in the earlier series, so our New Generation excavators provide better comfort and safety for the operators,” said Mr Rangarajan. 

The improved powertrain including the hydraulics in the New Generation excavators reduces fuel consumption dramatically. It is done by regulating engine speed and hydraulic flow rate based on the task at hand, resulting in up to 15% fuel economy improvement and lower operating costs.

In addition, the New Generation excavators feature easy service access and longer service intervals to drive down maintenance costs and increase machine availability. A fuel shut-off valve also facilitates fuel filter changes, avoiding fuel spillage and further reducing costs.

Optional functions like Dig Assist and Volvo attachments such as hydraulic breakers help elevate jobsite efficiency, versatility and flexibility.

Mr Rangarajan mentioned that HVO (hydrotreated vegetable oil) fuel can be used for the New Generation excavators if required, depending on the availability of the suppliers. This will allow the machines to further reduce their carbon emissions.

Although cost remains an issue in Asia when it comes to HVO fuel, Mr Rangarajan said customer engagements around this option have already begun, such as in Japan. “We have also used biofuel in some Southeast Asian countries, like Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia,” he added.

Volvo CE offers both electric and diesel machines in Southeast Asia. “Our commitment to reach net-zero emissions by 2040 continues,” stressed Mr Rangarajan, “but at the same time, we understand that the ecosystem of the charging infrastructure varies from market to market as they are in different stages of maturity.

“What we are doing now is developing new diesel machines with much higher efficiency, so that when the ecosystem is ready, we can easily switch to more sustainable power sources, be it battery packs, hydrogen engines, or any other sustainable power source, while still using the same powertrain solutions.”

‘Our EDGE to Success’ 

The ‘Our EDGE to Success’ concept was first introduced during the Region Asia dealer conference in September 2024 to underscore the importance of collaboration between Volvo CE, its dealers and customers, fostering a competitive advantage for all parties. 

The concept also summarises the key enablers – products, services and distribution – to drive a positive brand experience for customers. EDGE is a short for:

• Distribution – Engaged and satisfied customer, Dependable distribution/people, Growth mindset, and Exclusive brand experience.

• Product – Enhanced efficiency, Durability and safety, Greater fuel savings, and Easy to own and maintain.

• Services – Excellence in execution, Digitisation for proactive support, Gain in productivity and uptime, and Enable lower total cost of ownership (TCO).

Apart from the EC210, other New Generation excavators include the EC220, EC230, EC300 and EC360, all of which are available to Southeast Asian markets.

“Our New Generation excavators give our customers the EDGE to stay ahead in an ever-evolving market,” said Mr Rangarajan.

Note: This story has also been published in the Mar/Apr 2025 issue of SEAC (with more images). Click here to read online or here to download the PDF file (pages 38-41).