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Digging deep into construction machinery news

Worlds Largest Battery-Electric Excavator Continues to Generate Interest

by Nick Drew  |  Wed 12 Feb 2020

Worlds Largest Battery-Electric Excavator Continues to Generate Interest

Pon Equipment’s Norwegian division worked closely with Caterpillar to design and build this all-electric 26-tonne excavator which features a massive 300kWh battery pack in the space normally filled by a combustion engine on the regular model. The battery pack alone is a hefty lump tipping the scales at around 3.4 tonnes. Also installed inside is a ultra-quiet 122kw electric motor, usually all you can hear is the hydraulic pump and valves in operation.

The prototype was built in Gjelleråsen, Norway for construction company Veidekke who have plans to eventually use 8 of them. Norway is a leading country in the uptake of electric vehicles and machinery.

Photo: Courtesy of Ole Henrik Johansen 

The company’s thinking is that the machine will result in a better experience for its employees and the surrounding population by reducing air and noise pollution at construction sites. Of course, the big issue with all these electric cars and machines is how long they can work using the battery capacity, apparently this machine can work for between five and seven hours depending on workload, charging is usually done overnight.

Øivind Larsen, Veidekke’s construction director, suggests that the single machine will reduce their CO2 emissions by 52 tonnes.

Checkout this video of the machine in action in Norway.

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