Danfoss has recently converted a conventional, diesel-engine-based backhoe loader into a battery-electric development vehicle at the North American Application Development Center. This presentation provides an overview of the design process, focusing on the powertrain architecture selection and the integration of electric and hydraulic systems, with the overall goal to meet or exceed the original machine performance in a practical way. This study also discusses the system-level design factors affecting efficiency, controllability, NVH, and thermal management in an electric-hydraulic powertrain and includes summarized results and conclusions from initial vehicle performance testing.

• The methodology used to select the powertrain architecture for a battery-electric construction vehicle.
• The electric-hydraulic system design and component selection process used to achieve the performance targets.
• Design considerations related to the efficiency, controllability, NVH performance, and thermal management of the system.