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Award for Wacker Neuson’s first electric mini-excavator

The Wacker Neuson EZ17e, the company’s first fully electric, battery-powered mini-excavator, has won SaMoTer’s Innovation Award in the category ‘hydraulic mini-excavators’. Judges praised the digger’s efficiency, integration of the electric drive, as well as its performance, which corresponds to that of the diesel-powered model.

The EZ17e can run entirely on its lithium-ion battery. Yet it can also be operated while connected to the mains – and even charged while in operation – thanks to its smart charging management system. This makes it suitable for environments where emissions and noise must be kept to a minimum, for example in urban areas, for indoor work or on sites close to schools and hospitals. The battery can be charged overnight via a domestic socket (110 to 230V), or in just four hours using a high-voltage current.

Operators do not have to worry about damaging the machine when working close to walls or in confined spaces, says Wacker Neuson, as the tail of the excavator never extends beyond the undercarriage. This also makes the EZ17e ideal for tunnel construction, demolition and redevelopment work in confined spaces, as well as for restoration projects inside buildings.

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