Inside the LiuGong 8110TE

The transition to battery-electric machinery is gathering pace across the construction, quarrying, and materials handling sectors, and one manufacturer moving aggressively into the space is LiuGong.

From compact loaders and skid steers through to large-scale production machines, Chinese OEM LiuGong has developed an electric portfolio designed for real-world applications rather than niche demonstrations.

In Australia, that strategy is being supported by Construction Distribution Australia (CDA) and the wider McIntosh Group dealer network, which is positioning itself as a supplier and support partner for electric equipment nationally.

Among the models at the centre of the current push is the new 8110TE battery-electric wheel loader — a 42-tonne machine that CDA Melbourne Branch Manager Steve Gurkin showed off to Earthmoving Equipment Magazine recently.

“It’s changing perceptions about what electric machinery can achieve in demanding environments,” he said.

“For many operators, the size and capability of the 8110TE is what stands out. Rather than being limited to light-duty urban work, the machine is aimed at production loading applications where uptime, power, and efficiency are critical.”

The loader combines a rated operating weight of about 41t with a 6.2m³ bucket capacity, and a breakout force of 317 kilonewtons. But the headline specification is its 706 kilowatt-hour battery pack, designed to deliver full-shift operation in quarrying, recycling, port, and bulk handling environments.

“The 8110TE has a 700kW cell battery,” Steve said. “So you can do opportunistic charging where you don’t have to worry about discharge and recharge. You can do it in the middle of a break, you can do it at lunchtime, or you can do a full charge overnight.”

Steve said run time for the machine is proving impressive in Australian-style loading applications.

“The run time on our 8110TE generally runs on a load-out operation between 10 and 12 hours,” he said. “We’re seeing in some sales yards on testing that these machines are doing between 14 and 16 hours.”

That longevity is a step forward for electric heavy equipment. Traditionally, one of the concerns surrounding battery-powered machinery has been whether it could handle a full production shift without interruptions.

LiuGong’s approach has been to combine large-capacity battery systems with fast-charging capability and energy management systems that keep machines productive throughout the day.

The 8110TE supports a range of charging options, including mobile charging solutions and fixed-site charging infrastructure.

“We have three mobile charging solutions as well as fixed-site chargers that range from 30 watts right up to 400kW,” Gurkin said. “If you’re running, say, a 320kW charger, you’d be able to charge this machine in a couple of hours and still get 10 to 12 hours run time.”

LiuGong’s specifications suggest even faster turnaround is possible under high-output charging conditions, with charging times of around one hour using high-capacity infrastructure.

Electric advantages

Beyond the run time figures, Steve said the business case for electric machinery is compelling.

“Fuel saving is the number one appeal,” he said.

“Then there’s noise reduction, which is important in urban construction, enclosed facilities, and recycling operations, where diesel engines can create environmental and workplace challenges.

“Because the electric machine is not running a diesel engine, there’s no noise pollution. The machines also get industry-approved green ticks for running sustainably on the sites where they are used.”

In addition, Steve said the electric set-up contributed to operator comfort.

“You don’t have the diesel vibration, you don’t have the low drone noise. And on site, you don’t have emission fumes,” he said. “On a smaller wheel loader that’s working in a shed, you don’t have to cope with diesel smoke and fumes.”

The driving experience itself is markedly different. Steve believes electric drivetrains offer a performance advantage that surprises many operators accustomed to diesel-powered machinery.

“On the 8110TE, what you’ll find is that electric torque far outweighs the diesel torque,” he said. “It’s instant and there’s no torque loss with load because it’s running off the power of the battery.”

That instant torque delivery is one of the defining characteristics of electric equipment. Unlike diesel engines, which rely on rev ranges and torque curves, electric motors deliver maximum torque immediately.

In loading applications where rapid acceleration and responsive hydraulics matter, that can translate into smoother cycle times and reduced operator fatigue.

LiuGong has also incorporated a range of technologies designed to improve productivity, monitoring, and safety.

“Our machines come standard with a full auto greaser system, which negates daily checks,” Steve said.

“We also have 360-degree cameras, as opposed to other manufacturers that have 270 degrees. Ours provide vision all the way around the machine.”

The machine includes integrated load weighing systems and telematics.

“The 8110TE has its own load scale system built in, which calculates efficiencies and ensures operators get the tonnages they need,” Steve said.

“Also, we have built into all our machines for all customers our iLink system, which is a full telematics platform, included at no cost to the end user.”

The telematics platform allows operators and fleet managers to remotely monitor battery usage, machine health, performance, and utilisation, ensuring a connected fleet management system.

Going green

While the 8110TE may currently be one of the flagship machines attracting attention, Steve said it was only one part of an expanding electric portfolio.

“If you can think about it in diesel, LiuGong can think about it in electric,” he said. “At the moment our offering includes about 260 different products in the electric range.”

That breadth is one of LiuGong’s biggest differentiators globally. The company has spent more than a decade developing electric construction equipment and now offers one of the largest battery-electric portfolios in the industry.

The current electric line-up spans multiple categories and machine sizes.

“In excavators, we run from 2.7t up to 100t,” Steve said.

“In Australia, we have a number of machines available for demos, such as the 2.7t, the 3.5t, the 5t, and a 24t 924FE model that was shown at Diesel Dirt & Turf Expo.

“We have electric skid steers, graders, forklifts, and track loader products as well.”

Wheel loaders remain a particularly strong focus.

“The wheel loaders run from 8t up to 130t,” Steve said. “Apart from the 8110TE, we have an 8t, an 18t, and a 24t version.”

Smaller electric loaders such as the 820TE are aimed at urban construction, waste handling, and municipal applications where quiet operation and low emissions are advantages. The 820TE features a 70.5kWh battery system, optional fast charging, and a compact operating weight of about 7t.

Larger machines like the 838TE and 856TE are targeted toward heavier material handling and industrial applications, giving customers the ability to scale electrification across fleets depending on duty cycles and site requirements.

National presence

A component of LiuGong’s Australian growth strategy is its partnership with CDA and the McIntosh Group.

Steve said the dealer network is critical to customer confidence, particularly when introducing new technologies like battery-electric machinery.

“CDA runs a full national network,” he said. “We have four factory dealers which are owned and operated by the McIntosh Group: CDA Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, and McIntosh & Son in WA.

“We also have 52 regional dealers to back up our dealerships throughout Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia.”

For customers operating in regional and remote locations, that support infrastructure can be as important as the machine itself.

One of the challenges for emerging brands in Australia has been convincing buyers that parts, technical support, and field service capability will be available when required. CDA’s emphasis on regional coverage is aimed at addressing that concern.

“We have fully functioning workshops with field service and workshop techs and warehouses in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and WA to back up the product,” Steve said.

The support network also includes technicians specifically trained for battery-electric equipment.

“Our BEV-trained technicians can handle everything, including battery replacement, connect, disconnect, and fault diagnosis,” Steve said.

That investment in specialised training reflects the reality that electric machinery requires a different approach to servicing and diagnostics compared with traditional diesel equipment.

Regional dealers also play a role in uptime management. For contractors and quarry operators outside metropolitan areas, having local technicians, local parts in stock, and field service support can reduce downtime and transport costs.

CDA’s focus is on combining national-scale support with local responsiveness, as fleet owners seek long-term partners rather than simply machinery suppliers.

Steve said LiuGong’s philosophy was centred on continuous improvement and customer feedback, underpinned by research and development work in the electric sector.

“They’ve been doing this since 2012 in the electric field, and the 8110TE is a fifth-generation battery-electric machine,” Steve said.

“We have machines currently being tested   in China exceeding 20,000 hours and still having around about 80 per cent battery life in them.

“That’s why LiuGong offers users a 10-year battery, 500-hour warranty.”