Electronic Vehicle Stability (EVS) for HMF Loading Cranes

Operating a truck-mounted crane in the real world rarely looks like a textbook diagram. Stabiliser beams need room to extend, but city kerbs, walls, narrow sites, and uneven terrain often make full extension impossible. That’s the problem EVS was built to solve.

What is EVS?

EVS (Electronic Vehicle Stability) is an intelligent stability safety system that continuously monitors and manages vehicle stability during crane operation. Rather than requiring fully extended stabiliser beams to operate safely, EVS accounts for the load on the truck body itself, treating it as a counterweight. This allows operators to lift at full capacity across the entire 360-degree working area, including in front of the vehicle, within whatever stability is available at any given moment.

The system monitors four conditions simultaneously:

  • Load on the vehicle
  • Load on the crane
  • Speed
  • Vehicle heel (inclination)

By calculating all four in real time, EVS gives operators a warning before a situation becomes critical, rather than after.

How EVS works with the RCL

EVS operates alongside the Rated Capacity Limiter (RCL), which comes standard on all HMF cranes. The RCL reads operator input before the crane moves and adjusts crane movement and speed accordingly. EVS then adds a layer on top of that, monitoring the condition of the vehicle itself on an ongoing basis.

When EVS detects the crane approaching the stability limit, it gradually reduces boom speed, almost imperceptibly at first. At 90% of the limit, the RCL activates a warning signal. At 100%, the crane stops. The process is smooth and predictable, so operators can focus on the job rather than second-guessing whether a lift is safe to attempt.

AutoSwitch

For situations where a stabiliser beam is fully extended, and the stabiliser leg is lowered to the ground, EVS can be deactivated on that side using the AutoSwitch function. AutoSwitch requires a successful stability test before deactivation is permitted, ensuring all safety requirements are met before the system steps back.

HMF Power Display

The HMF Power Display radio remote control unit gives operators a live readout of current load, load moment, vehicle inclination, and operational status. If the crane stops, the reason is visible immediately, so the right action can be taken without delay.

Tried, tested, and approved

EVS has been in operation on vehicles worldwide for more than 20 years. It holds approval under EN 280 for use with personnel baskets (MEWP), a standard that demands particularly strict compliance for both safety and reliability. That track record makes it one of the most proven vehicle stability systems available for truck-mounted loader cranes.

Why it matters on site

The practical benefit is flexibility without compromising safety. Operators working on constrained urban sites, sloped terrain, or anywhere stabiliser beam extension is limited can still make full use of the crane’s lifting capacity. The system handles the stability calculations continuously in the background, so operators can concentrate on the task.

Find out more about EVS

EVS is available as an addition to the HMF crane range. To find out whether it’s suited to your setup, contact the HMF Australia team on 1300 877 411 or email sales.nsw@west-trans.com.au.