MACHINERY
The 301.9 mini excavator has up to 50 % more energy capacity than its peers , according to Alex Kapper , Director of Strategy and Business Development , Caterpillar Electrification & Energy Solutions , in a blog post .
The mini-excavator is also the first machine with a Caterpillar battery , and includes an onboard AC charger . The company ’ s lithium-ion battery range features a modular design for flexible configurations across multiple applications .
The mini-excavator has a run time of up to eight hours on a single charge . The batteries are engineered to be scalable to industry and customer performance needs , and also to maximise sustainability throughout their lifecycle , including recycling and reuse at the end of life .
But according to Alex , putting a battery in a machine is just one piece of the electrification puzzle .
E-excavators ‘ must be reliable workhorses ’ Cat ’ s mining and construction customers need these machines to work as productively as the diesel-combustionpowered equipment they ’ ve been using for decades .
“ Battery-electric machines will require more on-site support and resources to solve challenges surrounding where to charge them , how to ensure there is adequate power capacity , how to manage energy costs , and where to source lower-carbon energy ,” says Alex .
“We offer two engine configurations , to meet US and EU emission requirements ”
CHRIS LAU ENGINEERING FELLOW OF HYDRAULIC MINING SHOVELS , CATERPILLAR
94 November 2024