On May 13, Komatsu announced that it had developed a fully electric compact excavator equipped with lithium-ion batteries. This is Komatsu’s first excavator that does not use cylinders or other hydraulic equipment in the drive unit. In addition to emitting no exhaust gas, the new excavator can be operated remotely and can be used in dangerous places.
Komatsu, which celebrated the 100th anniversary of its founding on May 13, announced this concept model as a response to a decarbonized society.
For the time being, the company does not plan to sell it to the general public. This model is connected to the outside world via wireless LAN, and the driver can operate it remotely without boarding the machine. The remote operation makes it suitable for indoor demolition, disaster rescue, and other dangerous work sites.
Source: The Nikkei
PSR Analysis: The model presented is a concept and will not be sold to the general public, but it is significant from the perspective of visually realizing the future of power excavators. Komatsu has already launched a battery-powered compact excavator in Japan in 2020, but the cylinders that move the excavator’s arms were hydraulic. This model does not use any hydraulic equipment, which improves energy efficiency and reduces the burden of maintenance.
On the same day, Komatsu also announced the success of a demonstration experiment in which a single driver can switch between multiple construction machines, including hydraulic excavators and bulldozers, from a remote location using 5G high-speed communications.
These efforts by Komatsu, a leader in the industry, are in line with what is required in the field, and the market is calling for the early introduction of new technologies. PSR
Akihiro Komuro is a Research Analyst, covering Far East and Southeast Asia, for Power Systems Research
