Electric Dumper 96 V Reference Platform

INTEGRATION CHALLENGE

Electrifying compact equipment with a limited in‑house EV team

Electrifying compact off‑highway machines can seem straightforward on paper until an engineering team tackles practical constraints and other issues.

Engineers know where they want to go - longer duty cycles, cleaner operation, and future‑ready product lines - but do not always have the bandwidth or specific electrification expertise to get there quickly and confidently.

For construction equipment OEMs, typical constraints include:

Limited internal experience with high‑voltage architectures, inverters, and battery systems.
Tight packaging envelopes make it hard to place motors, battery packs, power electronics, and hydraulics without redesigning the frame.
Pressure to show tangible progress on electrification without committing to full production before performance is proven.

NEW REFERENCE PLATFORM

A working prototype that accelerates learning and de‑risks investment

The ZAPI GROUP electric dumper project was created as a reference platform, not as a one‑off showpiece. It’s a fully functional, electric compact dumper designed to help OEMs.

Prove Feasibility Quickly

Move from concept to a driveable prototype without first building a full internal electrification team.

Benchmark Real‑World Performance

Measure range, duty cycles, and energy consumption on an actual construction machine instead of relying only on simulation.

Right‑Size the System

Optimize motor power, hydraulic performance, and battery capacity for the actual mission profile, avoiding overspecification.

A Template for Other Vehicles

Reuse the same 96 V architecture patterns for telehandlers, small excavators, and other compact off‑highway platforms.

SOLUTION OVERVIEW

What the 96 V electric dumper reference platform integrates

The reference platform replaces the original internal combustion powertrain and conventional hydraulics with a fully electric 96 V system built from ZAPI GROUP components and sub‑brands, as well as other third-party components, integrated as a single, working machine.

1

Electric Traction

A permanent magnet traction motor driven by a matched inverter.

2

Electric Hydraulics

An induction motor with an inverter to drive the hydraulic pump for the dump body and auxiliary functions.

3

Battery Pack

A customized battery pack designed to fit the existing chassis and duty cycle requirements.

4

Onboard Charging

A high‑efficiency onboard charger engineered for the 96 V system.

5

Power Conversion

A DC/DC converter to supply 12 V auxiliaries and vehicle electronics from the high‑voltage bus.

6

Vehicle Controls and HMI

Integrated control software, HMI, and joysticks tuned for the dumper’s operating modes.

HOW IT WORKS

From diesel to electric: inside the conversion

The reference design follows a repeatable process that OEMs can apply to similar machines.

01_engineering_assessment

ENGINEERING ASSESSMENT

Analyze existing diesel dumper duty cycles, mission profiles, and performance targets while reviewing physical packaging constraints.

02_simulation_sizing

SIMULATION AND SIZING

Size traction motor, hydraulic motor, and inverters for real load cases, then estimate energy consumption and battery capacity.

03_mechanical_adaptation

MECHANICAL ADAPTATION

Design custom mounting hardware for motors, battery pack, and power electronics, adapting hydraulic circuits for electric operation.

04_integration_validation

INTEGRATION AND VALIDATION

Route high-voltage harnesses, implement safety interlocks, calibrate powertrain controls, and validate the complete prototype in field testing.

05_software_hmi

SOFTWARE AND HMI

Develop and calibrate powertrain control, charging interactions, and HMI behaviors to deliver familiar, predictable machine operation.

06_build_testing

BUILD AND TESTING

Build and commission the prototype in-house, conduct field validation of performance and efficiency, and deliver measured data to support OEM production decisions.

KEY BENEFITS FOR OEMS

Accelerating electrification roadmaps

Faster time to a credible prototype

Instead of starting from a blank sheet, OEM engineering teams can begin with a working configuration that has already been sized, integrated, and tested on a real compact construction machine.

Reduced development risk and internal load

The integration complexity - mechanical, electrical, and software - is handled by a partner with the knowledge and experience to handle the challenges. Your team can focus on learning from the prototype rather than building all of the underlying infrastructure on the first pass.

Clear, transferable architecture

The same 96 V pattern - traction, hydraulics, DC/DC, charging, controls - can be adapted to other platforms in your portfolio. The dumper becomes a tangible starting point for a wider electrification program.

A one‑stop systems partner

With ZAPI GROUP, OEMs gain a single partner for components, integration, and system engineering support, backed by decades of experience in industrial electrification.

LEARN MORE

Frequently Asked Questions

This section highlights a few common questions engineers face and sets the stage for how a proven reference design can simplify the journey to electrification.

Who is this reference platform for? The electric dumper reference platform is intended for engineering and product teams at construction and off‑highway OEMs who are exploring or accelerating electrification programs, especially for compact equipment operating in urban or regulated environments.

Is the dumper itself a product we can buy? No. The dumper is a reference platform, not a catalogue product. Its purpose is to demonstrate what a complete 96 V system looks like in a real vehicle and to provide a template that can be adapted to your own machines.

Can we use only part of the system? Yes. While the reference design shows a relatively complete ZAPI GROUP component stack, OEMs can work with ZAPI GROUP to adopt:

The complete system (traction, hydraulics, battery, charging, controls), or
Selected subsystems (for example: traction only, hydraulics only, or controls and software), depending on internal preferences and existing suppliers.

Can the architecture be scaled to other voltage levels or vehicle sizes? The dumper uses a 96 V architecture because it is well-suited to compact machines. The same integration principles and many components can be extended to different voltages and platforms. ZAPI GROUP works with OEMs to size and configure architectures for their specific vehicles and markets.

What if we do not have detailed duty‑cycle data yet? Part of the engagement can include assessment and measurement support, helping you characterise existing machines, simulate electric performance, and converge on a right‑sized architecture.