Created by BAM’s plant and equipment department on the basis of an older model which was due for an overhaul, the conversion took place over a period of one and a half year.

This emission-free road roller was put to work on its first project this week in the city of Almere.

Thanks to its electric propulsion, the roller emits no carbon dioxide or nitrogen whatsoever and is much quieter than conventional models. Compared to other heavy equipment, electrification of road rollers is relatively simple as they don’t have to perform repetitive heavy lifts tasks or prolonged excavation tasks.

Compared to the roller’s original diesel engine, the electric conversion saves seven litres of fuel per hour (on a daily basis, that amounts to approximately 73 litres). With the electric road roller BAM reduces its carbon emissions by approximately 236 kilograms per day. On an annual basis, with 180 days of operation, the roller reduces BAM’s CO2 emissions by more than 42,000 kilograms.

A fully charged battery will keep the roller running for eight hours, and recharging takes just three to five hours. As a result, BAM can count on the road roller to be ready for action every new morning.

Whereas electric alternatives are available for many types of lighter equipment, the options in the heavier categories are few and far between. And so, in an effort to realise its own sustainability ambitions and those of its clients, the people of BAM have put their specialist knowledge to use in the design and fabrication of the world’s first electric road roller.

Koob Bovenhuis, manager of the plant division BAM Infra Materieel, said: “This has been an incredible achievement and a fine example of the expertise and can-do mindset of our people. From the initial idea during a strategy session, it’s taken us just one and a half years to make the electric road roller a reality.”

As the demand for sustainable solutions continues to grow, BAM considers this electric road roller to be just the first step towards developing a fully emission-free paving train. In addition to electric propulsion, the use of hydrogen could offer possible solutions for the propulsion of heavier equipment.