Volvo EC230 Electric Leads Zero-Emission Demolition in Nuremberg
Volvo electric construction equipment is being put to work on a municipal demolition project in Nuremberg, Germany, where the city is testing how zero-emission machinery can fit into normal day-to-day site operations.
The work is taking place at the former Sauerbrey nursery in the city’s Westpark area and follows Bavaria’s first public tender for a CO₂-free demolition project. Metzner Recycling GmbH is carrying out the demolition with support from Robert Aebi Nuremberg, using a fleet of battery-electric construction machines and trucks.
Volvo electric fleet tackles Nuremberg demolition
The machinery on site includes a Volvo EC230 Electric crawler excavator, Volvo ECR18 Electric compact excavator and Volvo L20 Electric compact wheel loader. A Volvo Trucks FM Electric hook-lift truck is also supporting the project.
For the City of Nuremberg, the job is intended to demonstrate that lower-emission public works can move beyond pilot schemes and into normal procurement. By including zero-emission requirements in the tender, the city has created a live test of how electric construction equipment can be used on a conventional municipal project.
Andreas Krieglstein, Mayor of Nuremberg, said the demolition marked new ground for the city and highlighted the role municipalities can play in reducing the environmental impact of both construction and deconstruction work.
Standard site power keeps the electric machines working
One of the most significant parts of the Nuremberg project is the charging arrangement. Rather than relying on purpose-built charging infrastructure, the electric machines and vehicles are being powered from standard construction-site electricity.
That matters because it gives the project a more realistic link to everyday demolition and construction work. The approach was inspired by an earlier fully electric deconstruction project at Siemens’ headquarters in nearby Erlangen. Following a visit to that site, Nuremberg’s Public Space Service Agency saw the potential to apply the same principles to a municipal tender.
Michael Metzner, Managing Director of Metzner Recycling GmbH, said the key was to plan the equipment, logistics and energy supply together from the start so the job could run reliably within normal site routines.
Alongside eliminating local exhaust emissions from the electric machines, the project is also reducing noise around the site. With residential properties close to the former nursery, lower machine noise and reduced exposure to particulate matter and nitrogen oxides are practical benefits for the surrounding area.
Demolition materials kept in the loop
The project is not only focused on the machines. The former nursery forms part of a wider redevelopment that will eventually turn the area into public green space, while demolition materials are being separated so suitable material can be recovered and returned to the value chain.
That approach brings circular-economy principles into the demolition process, with the site being used as an example of urban mining and more resource-efficient construction. Rather than treating the demolition arisings simply as waste, recoverable material is being identified for further use wherever possible.
A practical test for zero-emission public works
For Nuremberg, the wider aim is to show other local authorities that zero-emission construction requirements can be written into public tenders and delivered with commercially available machinery.
Peter Bauer, Segment Leader at Volvo Construction Equipment, said the project demonstrates that CO₂-free demolition can work on real construction sites, with standard site electricity helping make the approach practical and easier to replicate.
The Westpark job gives contractors and municipalities a useful real-world example of how electric excavators, loaders and trucks can be combined on a demolition project while also addressing noise, local emissions and material recovery.
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