Electric paver debuts on A47: productivity and CO₂ lessons for road engineers
Reviewed by Tom Sullivan
First reported on The Construction Index
30 Second Briefing
An Ammann eABG 4820 electric paver has been deployed on National Highways’ A47 upgrade between Acle and Great Yarmouth, laying asphalt with over 90% recycled content alongside an electric Ammann eARX 26-2 tandem roller. The paver, claimed as the largest electric unit on the market, delivers up to 1,200 tonnes per day at 500 t/h with a 70% CO₂ reduction versus diesel, typically finishing night shifts at around 40% battery from a 95% start while placing 500–600 tonnes. Heidelberg Materials supported the trial by installing a nearby recycling plant that both supplied reclaimed material and provided daytime charging, with low-carbon hydrogen low loaders handling transport.
Technical Brief
- Variomatic screed on the eABG 4820 allows variable paving widths up to 6.5 m.
- Nightly production on the A47 reached 500–600 t, far above typical 100–200 t highway shifts.
- Heidelberg Materials’ temporary recycling plant was sited close to the works to minimise haul distances and emissions.
- The same recycling plant served as the daytime charging hub for the electric paver fleet.
- Low‑carbon hydrogen‑fuelled low loaders were used for plant transport, cutting diesel haulage demand.
- Ammann eARX 26‑2 light tandem vibratory roller reportedly completed four consecutive night shifts on one charge.
- Operators reported very low drivetrain noise on the eABG 4820, improving verbal communication and site safety.
Our Take
National Highways’ use of an electric Ammann paver on the A47 aligns with its emerging sustainability framework for schemes like the £11bn Lower Thames Crossing, signalling that low‑carbon plant and high recycled content surfacing could become baseline expectations on future Strategic Road Network renewals.
The A47 trial’s combination of over 90% recycled surfacing materials and a claimed 70% CO₂ saving from the paver provides a live test case for National Highways’ new £968M legacy concrete roads reconstruction framework, where contractors such as Kier, Graham and Sisk will be under pressure to demonstrate similar carbon and circular‑economy performance.
Ammann’s presence here, alongside its dealer network expansion in the UK reported in our database, suggests it is positioning to capture demand as UK clients like National Highways increasingly specify electric and low‑emission plant for high‑output sites handling 500–600 t per night or more.
Prepared by collating external sources, AI-assisted tools, and Geomechanics.io’s proprietary mining database, then reviewed for technical accuracy & edited by our geotechnical team.
Related Articles
Related Industries & Products
Construction
Quality control software for construction companies with material testing, batch tracking, and compliance management.
Mining
Geotechnical software solutions for mining operations including CMRR analysis, hydrogeological testing, and data management.
QCDB-io
Comprehensive quality control database for manufacturing, tunnelling, and civil construction with UCS testing, PSD analysis, and grout mix design management.