A mixer truck has two capacity figures that buyers often mix up: the volume of the drum and the mass of concrete the chassis may legally carry. Our 8x4 mixers have 7.09 m³ to 7.96 m³ drums and rated payloads of 15,470 kg to 17,500 kg, or roughly 6.4 m³ to 7.3 m³ of fresh concrete. Our 4x2 model has a 3.99 m³ drum.
A note on names: concrete mixer truck, concrete mixer lorry, cement mixer truck and transit mixer all describe this vehicle. "Lorry" is the usual word in the UK, Kenya and Nigeria, and "transit mixer" in India and the Gulf. Strictly, the drum carries concrete, of which cement is one ingredient, but nobody will misunderstand an enquiry for a cement mixer lorry.
Drum Volume vs Rated Load: Which Figure Limits a Delivery?
Drum volume is the space inside the rotating drum, and builders quote it two ways. Geometric volume is the full internal volume of the empty shell. Rated mixing volume is the concrete the drum is designed to carry and keep mixed. The rated figure is always smaller, because a drum inclined at 13° to 15.75°, as ours are, cannot be filled to the opening without spilling under braking and on climbs.
Our specifications give one drum volume per model, such as 7.96 m³ on the HOWO electric mixer. When comparing offers, ask which figure each quotation uses, ours included. An 8 m³ geometric drum and an 8 m³ rated drum are different trucks.
Rated payload is a mass: what the chassis may carry once curb weight and crew are subtracted from gross vehicle weight (GVW). On a mixer, that load is the concrete. Whichever limit you reach first, drum space or payload, sets the real delivery size.
Our Mixer Truck Sizes and the Chassis Behind Them
We currently offer five mixers: one 4x2 and four 8x4 models, with diesel, LNG and battery-electric drives. All four 8x4 trucks share a 31,000 kg GVW, so the differences in payload come from curb weight.
| Model | Drive and power | Drum volume | GVW | Rated payload | Payload in m³ at 2.4 t/m³ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HOWO 8x4 electric | 8x4, 423 kWh battery, 410 kW | 7.96 m³ | 31,000 kg | 17,500 kg | about 7.3 m³ |
| Dongfeng Chenglong 8x4 diesel | 8x4, diesel | 7.92 m³ | 31,000 kg | 17,300 kg | about 7.2 m³ |
| HOWO 8x4 LNG | 8x4, LNG, 385 kW | 7.74 m³ | 31,000 kg | 16,900 kg | about 7.0 m³ |
| FAW 8x4 electric | 8x4, 352 kWh battery, 500 kW | 7.09 m³ | 31,000 kg | 15,470 kg | about 6.4 m³ |
| Foton 4x2 diesel | 4x2, diesel, 147 kW | 3.99 m³ | 18,000 kg | 10,200 kg | about 4.3 m³ |
Payload runs out before drum space on every four-axle truck. Filled with 2.4 t/m³ concrete, the 7.96 m³ drum on our HOWO 8x4 electric mixer would hold about 19,100 kg, some 1,600 kg over its 17,500 kg rated payload. The Dongfeng Chenglong 8x4 diesel mixer follows the same pattern. On the Foton 4x2 3.99 m³ mixer the reverse is true: its 10,200 kg payload covers about 4.3 m³, more than the drum holds.
Concrete Weight and Legal Payload
Fresh normal-weight concrete weighs about 2.4 t/m³, roughly 2,400 kg per cubic meter. Lightweight and heavyweight mixes fall outside that figure, so use the density your batching plant reports for the mix you deliver most often.
To turn rated payload into cubic meters, divide it by density. For the HOWO electric mixer, 17,500 kg ÷ 2.4 t/m³ ≈ 7.3 m³. For the Dongfeng Chenglong diesel, 17,300 kg ÷ 2.4 t/m³ ≈ 7.2 m³. If the plant simply fills each truck to its drum figure, the truck can be over its rated load before it leaves the yard.
Rated payload comes from a simple balance: GVW = curb weight + payload + crew. The Dongfeng Chenglong 8x4 shows it clearly. Its 13,570 kg curb weight plus 17,300 kg payload is 30,870 kg, leaving 130 kg for two occupants within the 31,000 kg GVW.
Axle limits matter as much as GVW. Our 8x4 mixers carry most of the load on the rear tandem, with axle loads of 6,500 / 6,500 / 18,000 kg on three models and 6,500 / 7,000 / 17,500 kg on the HOWO LNG. Check both gross and per-axle limits on your routes.
Drum Drive, Discharge Rate and Water Tank
On diesel and LNG mixers the drum is normally turned by an engine-driven hydraulic pump feeding a hydraulic motor and reducer. Battery-electric mixers typically use an electric drum motor; the FAW electric offers an upper-mounted drive motor as an option. On electric trucks, ask whether the range estimate includes drum rotation in transit.
Four of our five mixers turn the drum at 2–14 r/min. Minimum discharge speed varies more: at least 2 m³/min on the HOWO electric, at least 1.8 m³/min on the HOWO LNG and FAW electric, and at least 1.4 m³/min on the Foton 4x2. At those rates a 7.3 m³ load leaves the HOWO electric in under four minutes. On site, the pump, chute or crew usually sets the real pour rate.
Most mixers also carry a clean-water tank for washing the drum, hopper and chute. Tank size depends on the build, so confirm it in the quotation and count the water in your payload check at about 1 kg per liter.
Choosing a Mixer Size for Your Plant and Road Limits
Start from the load you can legally deliver, not from the drum. Where routes accept a 31,000 kg four-axle truck, an 8x4 with a 7.09 m³ to 7.96 m³ drum carries roughly 6.4 m³ to 7.3 m³ of normal concrete per trip. That suits typical orders of around 6 m³. If most orders are 3 m³ or less, a large truck spends much of its day part-empty.
Site access pulls the other way. The Foton 4x2 is 7,650 mm long, against 9,960 mm to 10,750 mm for our 8x4 models, and its 18,000 kg GVW suits roads with lower weight limits. It fits small pours, narrow gates and residential streets.
Energy supply decides the drive. The HOWO electric has an estimated range of 200–350 km on 423 kWh and the FAW electric 200–220 km on 352 kWh, which suits plant-to-site loops that return to a charger. The HOWO LNG carries 500 L of fuel and needs LNG refueling near the route. Diesel is simplest where neither is available. For project fleets, see our construction and mining industry page.
What Sets the Price of a Concrete Mixer Truck
Capacity is also the main price question, because the drum size fixes the chassis. We quote each mixer FOB for its exact build and do not publish a list, but these are the lines that move a concrete mixer truck price, largest first:
- Chassis class. The 18,000 kg 4x2 with a 3.99 m³ drum and the 31,000 kg 8x4 with a drum near 8 m³ are separate price levels. There is no half-step between them in our range.
- Drive energy. Battery-electric and LNG mixers cost more to buy than diesel. They repay it only where charging or LNG refueling is available on the route and the truck works enough hours.
- Engine or motor power and chassis brand. HOWO, Dongfeng Chenglong, FAW and Foton chassis are all in the table above; compare offers on the same brand and power.
- Drum drive components. The make of the hydraulic pump, motor and reducer is a real cost difference between two mixers of the same size. Ask for the brands in writing.
- Drum steel and wear parts. Plate thickness and blade material decide how long the drum lasts with abrasive aggregate.
- Options. Water tank size, chute extensions, tire size, steering side and emission standard.
When two quotations for "an 8 cubic meter mixer lorry" differ widely, check first whether both drums are measured the same way, geometric or rated, and whether both list the same drive components.
How to Specify a Concrete Mixer Truck
Put these points in writing before you compare offers:
- Drum volume, and whether the figure is geometric or rated mixing volume.
- Rated payload and curb weight for the exact build, including water tank, tires and options.
- Gross and per-axle limits on your routes versus the offered axle loads.
- The density of your most common mix, so the legal load in m³ can be calculated.
- Energy source, with fuel tank size or battery capacity and range under load.
- Drum drive arrangement, mixing speed range and minimum discharge speed.
- Water tank capacity and any chute extensions your sites need.
- Overall length, height and wheelbase against site gates, ramps and plant loading bays.
FAQ
What size is an 8 cubic meter mixer truck?
In our range, the 8 m³ class means a four-axle 8x4. The closest models have 7.92 m³ and 7.96 m³ drums on 31,000 kg GVW chassis, and both are about 10 m long. Their rated payloads of 17,300 kg and 17,500 kg allow roughly 7.2 m³ to 7.3 m³ of 2.4 t/m³ concrete, so the load stays below 8 m³ of normal concrete.
Do you offer a 10 m³ mixer truck?
Not at present. Our largest drum is 7.96 m³. A true 10 m³ load of normal concrete weighs about 24,000 kg, well above the 17,500 kg rated payload of our biggest 8x4. Before ordering a larger drum from any supplier, check that the chassis payload and your road limits allow that concrete mass, not only the volume.
How many cubic meters does a concrete truck carry?
It depends more on the chassis than on the drum. Our 8x4 mixers carry about 6.4 m³ to 7.3 m³ of normal concrete within their rated payloads, while our 4x2 is limited by its 3.99 m³ drum. Lighter mixes allow more volume per trip and heavier mixes less, so calculate with the density your plant actually produces.
Does an electric mixer truck carry less concrete than a diesel one?
Not necessarily. Our HOWO 8x4 electric mixer has a 17,500 kg rated payload, slightly more than the 17,300 kg of the Dongfeng Chenglong diesel, while the FAW electric is rated for 15,470 kg. Battery mass, drum size and chassis design all move the figure, so compare rated payload model by model rather than by power type.
Why does the payload change between quotations for the same truck?
Rated payload is what remains after curb weight and crew are taken from GVW. A different tire size, a larger water tank, extra lighting or an optional engine all change curb weight, and the payload moves with it. Ask for the curb weight of the exact configuration quoted, then recheck how many cubic meters it allows.
Size the truck from rated payload and road limits first, then pick the drum and drive that suit your plant and sites. You can compare every current model in our concrete mixer truck range. Send your mix density, typical order size, route weight limits and preferred energy source through our contact page, and our engineers will propose a matching configuration.
