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Hitachi Construction Machinery (Europe)

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How Hitachi is embracing electric construction machinery

With the entire industry looking for new solutions to work in a more sustainable way, Hitachi Construction Machinery (Europe) (HCME) is focussing on the power of electric – and the positive impact it can have on the job site.

Electric Excavators
Excavator

Zero-emission excavators

HCME believes that electric construction machinery has an important part to play in protecting our environment and contributing to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. We have launched two zero-emission, battery-powered excavators, and are focusing on supplying more electric excavators to customers in the near future. These will be vital assets for contractors participating in tenders that require low or zero-emission machinery.

With additional advantages, such as reduced running costs, low noise and minimal downtime, it’s not only the environmental focus that makes alternatively fuelled excavators an appealing option to business owners.

The big challenge in electric machinery

Still, it’s important to remember that construction sites are a very different environment to domestic properties! Unlike electric cars, excavators (or other machines) can’t just recharge at the closest electric charging point – they work in locations where there is often no infrastructure, and so power sources like this are extremely limited. This means that there will still be a demand for combustion engines in the short term, and research into other power sources such as hydrogen is also important for future developments. Legislation and public funding are certainly required to fully support this vision of a clean future, and effectively tackle this significant challenge faced by the construction industry.

Making progress in sustainability

Hitachi Construction Machinery has a plan to develop its alternative fuel capabilities, partnering with Kiesel Technology in Germany, as the Kenki Technology Group (KTEG) since 2022. Having previously cooperated under the European Application Centre GmbH (EAC), their combined focus is to expedite HCM’s process of getting zero-emission construction machinery onto the European market. 

Their cross-functional teams combine key suppliers with Kiesel Technology’s advanced engineering resources to ensure knowledge transfer is moving in the right direction.

In addition, HCM has announced the opening of the Zero-Emission EV-Lab in Japan in May 2024, a research facility for collaboration with customers and partners, to work towards the zero-emission job site. And in Europe, it has signed a memorandum with ITOCHU and Alfen BV in the Netherlands, concerning plans to start the sale and rental of mobile energy systems, helping customers to charge electric equipment on the job site.

With developments such as these, HCM is clearly focused on providing alternative solutions to diesel-powered equipment, while also enhancing the efficiency of its existing conventional line-up, to meet the needs of customers.

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