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.