An electric wheel loader replaces the diesel engine and torque converter with a battery and electric motors. One motor drives the wheels, another runs the hydraulic pump for the lift arms and bucket. There are two ways to build one: a battery-electric machine that runs only on stored power and charges from the grid, and a hybrid that carries a smaller battery plus an engine-driven generator, called a range extender. LICH builds one of each on the same 5.8 t frame, so this guide compares them figure by figure. LICH is best known for its road roller range; the loaders share the same export support.
Battery-electric or hybrid: the numbers
| LC-L960EV (battery-electric) | LC-L960HEV (hybrid) | |
|---|---|---|
| Rated load | 5,800 kg | 5,800 kg |
| Bucket | 3.5 m³ | 3.5 m³ |
| Operating weight | 18,500 ±300 kg | 18,500 kg |
| Battery | 350 kWh LFP, 618 V | 32.56 kWh LFP (Gotion) |
| Other power source | DC charging | Range extender: Weichai 100 kW or Yuchai 75 kW, China IV with EGR |
| Drive motor | 120 / 200 kW | 125 kW rated |
| Implement motor | 80 / 160 kW | 75 kW rated |
| Operating time | 6–10 hours per charge, depending on conditions | Runs while the range extender has fuel |
| Tractive / breakout force | ≥170 / ≥170 kN | 175 / ≥175 kN |
| Dump height | 3,400 ±30 mm | 3,142 mm |
| Total cycle time | 10 ±0.5 s | 9.3 s |
| Top speed | ≥38 km/h | 40 km/h |
| Hydraulic pressure | 20 MPa | 18 MPa |
| Automatic bucket leveling | Optional | Standard |
Figures from the LICH product catalogue, read on 14 October 2026.
What the battery size means
The two batteries differ by a factor of ten. The LC-L960EV carries 350 kWh, enough for 6 to 10 hours of work on one charge; lighter work runs toward the longer figure. It needs a DC charger on site, so it suits yards with grid power: ports, steel mills, cement and aggregate plants, mines with a substation, and indoor or enclosed areas where exhaust is not acceptable.
The LC-L960HEV’s 32.56 kWh battery is a buffer, not a full day’s store. The range extender charges it as the machine works, and the battery covers peaks such as a full lift. The machine refuels like a diesel loader, so it works on sites with no charging point. The engine only drives a generator, so the wheels and hydraulics are always electric.
Which electric wheel loader fits your site
- Fixed yard with grid power and one or two shifts a day: the battery-electric LC-L960EV. No fuel, no exhaust at the point of work, and a 3,400 mm dump height for loading high-sided trucks and hoppers.
- No charging point, or round-the-clock shifts: the hybrid LC-L960HEV. It refuels in minutes, cycles slightly faster (9.3 s against 10 s) and has automatic bucket leveling as standard.
- Remote sites: the hybrid’s range extender removes the dependence on charging infrastructure.
Electric wheel loader running costs
Energy cost depends on your local electricity and diesel prices, so we calculate it per site rather than quote a single figure. The inputs are simple: hours per day, the share of heavy digging versus carrying, your price per kWh and per litre, and for the battery-electric model, whether the yard can charge between shifts. Send us those numbers and we will return an energy cost per hour for both versions. On the LC-L960EV there is no engine at all, so there is no engine oil, fuel filter or exhaust system to service.
Common questions
How long does an electric wheel loader run on one charge?
The LC-L960EV runs 6 to 10 hours per charge on its 350 kWh battery, depending on the work.
Does an electric wheel loader lift less than a diesel one?
Both models carry a 5,800 kg rated load and a 3.5 m³ bucket, with at least 170 kN of breakout force. Compare them with our 5-ton diesel LC-L956G (5,000 kg, 3 m³) on the wheel loader page.
What battery does the electric wheel loader use?
Lithium iron phosphate (LFP) in both models: 350 kWh at 618 V in the LC-L960EV, 32.56 kWh from Gotion in the LC-L960HEV.
Compare all loaders
See both electric wheel loader models next to the diesel range on the wheel loader page. For tracked work, read what is a track loader. Send us your site power, shift pattern and material, and we will recommend the electric wheel loader that fits and send its specification sheet.