With its bold, award-winning design, the new Liebherr TA 230 is sure to catch the eye of even the most seasoned dump truck professional. But does it bring the power and performance to match?
Liebherr’s TA 230 Litronic has been turning heads since it was unveiled in Germany in late 2020. The first of Liebherr’s new generation of articulated dump trucks, the machine represents a new benchmark for the brand’s commitment to modern design and performance.
Redeveloped from the ground up, the 30-tonne TA 230 is the result of comprehensive market research and customer feedback, with a view to deliver the very best in productivity, reliability, operator comfort, and – above all – safety.
Built to excel in challenging environments, the truck has been specifically designed for off-road applications and difficult terrain, prioritising superior handling and smooth travel. The TA 230’s newly designed dump body is paired with a modern visual design, featuring the balance of curves and hard edges of Liebherr’s Generation 8 machines.
Dressed to impress
Just over six months after first unveiling the TA 230 to the public, the truck’s designers were rewarded for their bold vision.
Liebherr’s new flagship dump truck received the prestigious 2021 Red Dot Award for design – an annual award presented to products from a range of industries that demonstrate good design and innovation.
A panel of international experts recognised the TA 230’s modern, coherent machine and design concept, and its combination of form and function.
From here, the TA 230 was introduced into the North American market in 2022, and was displayed for the first time at the country’s largest construction expo, CONEXPO/CON-AGG 2023.
Innovation, inside and out
Since the first of its kind landed in Australia in February this year, Liebherr’s TA 230 has been turning heads with its striking design. But according to Scott McClement – National Major Account Manager, Earthmoving & Material Handling Division, Liebherr-Australia – there’s also plenty under the bonnet of the TA 230 to be excited by – from next-level fuel efficiency to innovative productivity and safety features.
“The first thing an operator’s going to realise when they step into the cabin is the size,” he says. “There’s a lot of space, enough space for a trainer’s seat, and heaps of visibility to maximise safety.”
This is achieved with a combination of large glass surfaces, no struts to obscure the operator’s field of vision, and a short, angled bonnet to ensure optimal visibility in front of the machine. A newly designed lighting concept – including LED headlights as standard – further enhances visibility on either side of the glass.
Operators can take advantage of a well-appointed sealed cab with ergonomically arranged controls, multiple stowage compartments, and an as-standard air-suspension driver’s seat.
Under the electro-hydraulic bonnet, the TA 230 is designed for safe, simple maintenance, with all service points clearly visible, and easy to reach.
“The TA 230 is powered by a Liebherr six-cylinder Tier 4 final engine, coupled with a ZF transmission,” Scott adds. “This combination helps to deliver a very low fuel consumption of around 15 litres per hour.
“And at the back of the machine, the large body features an operating capacity of 28 tonnes, or 18.1 cubic metres, which is class leading.”
Given dump trucks’ relative simplicity in their operation and application, it’s the little details and features that distinguish one machine from another. Scott points to the TA 230’s automatic traction control as a prime example.
“Automatic traction control is one of our key safety features on this model – especially valuable for wet conditions,” he says. “When the machine’s working in a slippery, wet environment, this feature kicks in by itself – the operator doesn’t have to touch a thing.”
This is made possible by the TA 230’s inter-axle differential locks. If a slip occurs on one axle, torque is automatically redistributed to the others.
In the field
The design awards and the performance specs are one thing – but how does Liebherr’s
TA 230 fare when put to work on an Australian construction site?
Western Sydney’s DSA Contracting specialises in earthworks, subdivisions, and civil infrastructure works.
With a Liebherr R 945 Litronic crawler excavator already part of its large fleet, the DSA team were keen to test drive the new TA 230 articulated dump truck.
Operator Zach Donovan has worked with DSA for two years, and has been operating articulated dump trucks for more than eight – so he’s developed a sense of what separates a good dump truck from a great one.
With the business always looking to keep its fleet refreshed with the very latest equipment, Zach was more than happy to give the Liebherr TA 230 a test drive, and was immediately impressed by the machine’s power, visibility, and added features.
“The power delivery is great, even when fully loaded,” he says. “It accelerates nicely, and slows down nicely too.
“The visibility is very good as well. It feels like the window wraps around you. You can see close in front of the machine, and very well down the sides.”
Zach also points out the usefulness of the TA 230’s weighing system, which enables the operator to monitor and record payload in real time.
“It counts your load as you go and gives you a weight, so you can tell if you’re overweight or not,” he says. “You can also easily see how many tonnes you’ve moved for the day.”
Further boosting the productivity potential of the truck, the TA 230 boasts a top speed of 57kmph – but a lower maximum speed can be set via the speed maintenance assist function as required by the application.
“It’s really smooth to drive,” Zach says. “The hydrostatic drive enables the truck to accelerate smoothly, and it doesn’t feel like you’re going as fast as you are until you look down and see your speed on the dash.”
Zach was also impressed by how the TA 230’s redesigned dump body allowed for easy, efficient unloading.
“Tipping off loads feels good too, and makes it easy to spread a load out really nicely,” he says.
About Liebherr
For more than 70 years, Liebherr Group has delivered a highly diversified portfolio of products to the global construction industry. One of the world’s largest construction equipment manufacturers, the family-run technology company also provides high-quality user-oriented products and services in a wide range of other sectors. The Liebherr Group encompasses more than 140 companies across all continents.
Liebherr-Australia Pty. Ltd. has supplied and supported its range of earthmoving, mining, and crane equipment across Australia since 1981. Today, the company also operates a national distribution centre, as well as a remanufacturing centre to ensure comprehensive ongoing support of its customers’ fleets.
For more information, please visit: www.liebherr.com.au