EUROPEAN MARKET CHARGE

Once an unfamiliar name in many parts of Europe, LiuGong continues to grow its brand and reputation with its quality range of construction equipment that ranks among the very best on the market. That was recently underlined at its ‘BEV Experience’ event at its new regional hub in Stalowa Wola, Poland, where Awesome Earthmovers learned firsthand how it is reinforcing its leadership in the transition towards electrification.

“Those attending the event left with a deeper understanding of the manufacturer’s impressive line-up of BEV machines…”

The occasion attracted dealers and customers from 12 European countries who were able to see up close the manufacturer’s innovative range of Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) and also learn about the comprehensive strategies and solutions LiuGong offers as part of its commitment to sustainability and the environment.

With machine demonstrations in real-life settings, hands-on sessions, and technical discussions with LiuGong’s experienced BEV team, we discovered during our day there how the manufacturer is advancing its technology and infrastructure to make BEVs a fully viable option for all its customers. Among the key topics highlighted were charging solutions, machine control systems, safety and security, fleet management, training, spare parts availability, and service and maintenance support.

LiuGong Europe Chairman Howard Dale says those attending the event left with a deeper understanding of the manufacturer’s impressive line-up of BEV machines and an appreciation of the hard work that the LiuGong team put in behind the scenes at facilities like the new regional hub in Stalowa Wola.

“Through the ‘BEV Experience,’ we have once again showcased our substantial market readiness and significant investments in our facilities and in the European market. As a result, LiuGong continues to establish itself as a highly credible alternative to the old mainstream brands.”

Added European Product Director Harry Mellor: “The feedback since the event has been really encouraging. A lot of the guests were surprised to see not only the range of our battery electric machines but also our retail market readiness. Other competitors are only offering electric machines on a rental basis, but we are going down the route of giving customers the opportunity to buy the product, offering the end user a full after-sales service and support package, including excellent parts availability.”

FOUR BEV STARS OF THE SHOW

LiuGong plans to launch over 40 BEV models by 2027, including new BEV excavators, wheel loaders, telehandlers, and access equipment. At the event in Poland, there were four new electric machines—the 9027FE, 922FE, 820TE, and the 856HE—which impressed all those in attendance as they were put through their paces in the demonstration area.

The 9027FE compact model takes LiuGong’s popular short tail swing 9027F and changes the power pack to a 20.6 kWh LFP battery pack. The smallest of LiuGong’s new machines, it has the power and performance you would expect, enabling 3-4 hours of constant work and a rapid charging time of 90 minutes when using a fast charger. Based on a 48V system, it is easy and safe to service and maintain without needing special high-voltage training.

The 820TE is LiuGong’s first compact wheeled loader. It has a large, spacious cabin, is capable of 40 kph travel speeds, and is powered by a 70 kWh battery. The 820TE can recharge within 80 minutes. At a maximum height of 2.5 m, and available with a 4th line auxiliary spool, this machine is excellent for agricultural and industrial applications.

The third machine demonstrated was the 856HE, a mid-class wheeled loader powered by a 423 kWh battery pack. It can work 10–12-hour shifts on a single charge and can be recharged from 20-80% in just 2 hours. Driven by two independent motors, one for the driving transmission and one for the hydraulic loader arms and auxiliary, the 856HE is an immensely powerful machine offering full drive traction from as little as 2 km/h.

Meanwhile, the 922FE is a medium-class excavator. Powered by a 423 kW battery, this machine can work a full 8-10-hour shift. This is a high-performance machine with a motor delivering 165 kW of power, around 49 kW higher than a comparable diesel model and similar to a 26T class machine.

LiuGong had hoped to have the range-topping 870TE there too, but huge purchasing demand circumstances prevented that. The 870TE is equipped with a larger capacity loading shovel and supplied with a 4.7 m³ bucket as standard. This high-performance wheeled loader is perfect for quarry and aggregate applications.

BATTERY CHARGING MADE EASY

“I think the battery electrics we had on demonstration surprised our guests who were able to get up close to the machines and feel the power difference. They were also surprised, even shocked, to learn about the actual run time you can get out of them and how easy it is to charge up the batteries—the machines are absolutely market-ready,” says Harry Mellor, who also gave us a guided tour of the new regional hub.

It includes dealer training facilities, which provide hands-on experience with the latest machinery and technology, in addition to the well-stocked parts distribution centre, which features advanced smart logistics and ordering systems to ensure customers of efficient and prompt delivery of components. We saw, too, the fully equipped service repair and maintenance centre, all of which underlined LiuGong’s commitment to market readiness and ongoing investment in Europe.

This was the first event of its kind held by LiuGong in Europe, but it won’t be the last. “We only opened this new regional hub at the back end of last year and completed the refurbishment of the building two weeks before the event. Now that we have these facilities, the plan is to hold customer events every three months or so, each one being tailored to our new product launches. Our next event towards the end of the year will focus on quarry and aggregates customers, introducing them to the new batch of machines we will be launching,” explains Harry.

RAPID GROWTH IN EUROPEAN SALES

In the past few years, LiuGong has made big strides in the European market. “If we go back to 2019, LiuGong was doing 351 units in Europe, but this year we will be delivering around 3,500 units, so that is massive growth in our volume in a short period of time. In terms of our dealers, we have grown in the last four years from having 17 dealers to now having 48 dealers—and we have also entered new markets in France, Germany, Italy, and Scandinavia.

“Key to that success, apart from having an impressive range of machines, is listening to customer feedback and quickly following through on that,” says Harry. It is a strategy that is clearly working.