Hitachi Construction Machinery (Europe) is evaluating demand for its ZH200 Hybrid excavator in Europe. The 20 tonne excavator, which is already sold in Japan, uses a hydraulic/electric swing motor to generate electrical power under braking, which is stored in a capacitor alongside the machine’s cooling pack. The electrical power is used to boost slew speed and also feeds a secondary hydraulic motor, to assist the diesel engine when there is a demand for hydraulic power.
Hitachi claims that the system offers a 20% fuel saving and corresponding drop in CO2 emissions, compared to a standard ZX200-3 excavator.
In future, as technology develops, the company expects to be able to fit the machine with a smaller diesel engine, offering further fuel savings, with the additional power being supplied by the electrical system.
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