In mid-March, PDi’s editor in chief had the opportunity, together with a group of other European trade journalists, to visit Avant Tecno’s headquarters and manufacturing facility in Ylöjärvi, just northeast of Tampere in Finland. Avant Tecno gathered around 50 journalists from all over Europe for a press conference. On the agenda was the launch of two new 100%  battery powered compact loaders and a visit to Avant Tecno’s new battery manufacturing facility.

A forerunner in electric drive

The day began with Avant Tecno CEO Jani Käkelä welcoming everyone. He talked about the company that was founded in 1991 by his father, Risto. Risto is retired today, but nevertheless almost never misses a day of work and was also present at the press conference. Jani informed the participants about the expansion of the business, which today comprises of three large factory complexes with a production area of 61,000m2. Jani also took the opportunity to talk about Avant Tecno’s investment in all electric machines. The company is a forerunner in electric drive technology. Intensive development work is constantly underway to partly develop the machines themselves and partly to have full inhouse control of the development and manufacture of the batteries themselves. 

Jani also described the scenarios how the industry as such estimates the use of battery powered machines and how their use will develop over the next decade. He outlined three possible development scenarios: the most conservative forecast is that approximately 30% of fleets will consist of battery powered machines within 10 years. The second scenario is that approximately half of all machines will be battery powered within 10 years. The third scenario, which many believe has the greatest potential, is that 80% of all machines will be battery powered within 10 years. This changeover will naturally place great demands on manufacturers. Avant Tecno believes that it is one of the manufacturers of construction machinery that is at the forefront of this development, investing in developing and producing its own batteries.

A new generation of battery powered loaders

Avant Tecno’s also introduced two battery powered developments. Jukka Kytömäki is Avant Tecno’s head of sales and marketing, previously holding the position of CEO of Avant Tecno’s USA operations. Jukka said that Avant Tecno has been at the forefront of electric loader development for decades and is now launching the next generation of all electric loader models, the Avant e513 and Avant e527. These will  renew the Avant ‘e-series’ and replace their predecessors, the Avant e5 and e6 models. Production of the models started in January 2024 with the two new loaders being almost identical, with the only difference being the capacity of the batteries. 

The Avant e513 (13kWh) is a good choice for short term continuous use on, for example, cattle farms, horse stables, greenhouses or DIY or leisure activities. The Avant e527 (27kWh) with a larger battery is ideal for demanding professional use, with construction and demolition contractors said to particularly benefit from this model. The all electric Avants are ideal for working in tight spaces on construction sites that have strict limits on noise and emissions. Jukka particularly emphasised the Avant e527’s excellence in the context of demolition. It has been particularly developed for this type of application and is well suited for interior and renovation demolition. Supporting this, Jukka actually had representatives from two Finnish demolition contractors, Sakari Haapaniemi of Tampereen Porausteam Oy and Ari Kara of Pohjanmaan Erikoispurku Oy, who use the new loaders. They both talked about how they invested in Avant’s battery powered machines and how they improve their operational efficiency whilst making themselves more environmentally friendly.

Avant’s compact loaders are indeed an excellent choice in the context of demolition, especially since the launch of its new battery powered loaders. The company also has over 190 different tools and several of these are intended for demolition work. With the environmental problems the world is facing, investing in battery powered machinery like Avant should be a matter of course.

A full working day on a single charge

Fully charged in the morning, the Avant e527 can be used for an entire working day. The maximum operating time of the machine is about six hours for medium work, while for the Avant e513 it is about three hours. The battery in both loaders can be fully charged with a quick charger in less than one and a half hours, enabling long working days. “For several years, the market has longed for all electric loaders that would be more like diesel loaders in terms of functionality. Until now, uptime and pricing have been key issues related to electric loaders, but with Avant’s new e-series, we solve both,” says Jani Käkelä.

The renewed Avant e-series - some important facts:

• All electric loader series with zero emissions and is very quiet. 

• Low operating and maintenance costs.

• Two models: Avant e513 (battery capacity 13kWh) and Avant e527 (battery capacity 27kWh).

• Excellent performance in warm conditions and severe frost.

• Fast charging in under an hour and half; type two charging with a built in 3kW battery charger. 

• The maximum charging current has been increased by 50% compared to previous Avant electric loaders.

• Two electric motors: one for driving hydraulics and one for additional hydraulics, boom and steering. 

• Thanks to the electric motor, maximum torque is immediately applied, which ensures excellent traction.

• The further improved cooling system in the engine package keeps the machine’s heat under control even on soft terrain. 

• Increased load resistance during short term hard work.

• The updated multifunction display provides information on battery status, temperature, power consumption, operating hours, additional hydraulic power, maintenance requirements and more.

• Same appearance as Avant’s diesel powered 500 and 600 series loaders.

Unique battery technology and own manufacturing

Avant Tecno currently employs 360 people. A few years ago, it acquired a large industrial complex that is located right next to the original manufacturing facility and next door is Avant Tecno’s own production centre for batteries. Today, 12 people work here focused on the development and manufacture of batteries. The production centre has the potential to quickly double production, with that being something that Jani Käkelä believes will happen in the near future. 

Avant Tecno’s team has developed a completely new and unique battery technology called ‘Avant OptiTemp’, which manufactured in-house by Avant Power Oy. The new loaders are equipped with Avant OptiTemp battery packs (13kWh and 27kWh). The globally unique battery technology has been designed to take capacity to a whole new level, and the energy density of the batteries is believed to be amongst the best in the world. The heat management system of the patented lithium ion batteries ensures the same capacity in hot and extremely cold temperatures, whilst multi-level protection makes Avant OptiTemp batteries very safe.

www.avanttecno.fi