Hitachi UK showcases zero emissions electric excavator

The Hitachi ZXE85US electric excavator. (Image: Hitachi)

Hitachi Construction Machinery UK (HCMUK) certainly put the spark into the Futureworx 2022 exhibition last week, by showcasing the battery powered ZXE85US midi excavator, which was first revealed in prototype format during Bauma 2019.

Weighing in at 8.5 tonnes, the new zero emissions at point of use ZXE85US now offers a continuous work time of 5.5 hours and can then be charged back to full capacity in 45-minutes, enabling the machine to be recharged during lunch breaks for instance.

The ZXE85US is based on the company’s conventionally powered ZX85US excavator, and offers the same high levels of operational performance and operator comfort. The cab is air-conditioned and the intuitive controls provide a complete overview of the machine’s status.

Just like the ZX85US machine, the ZXE85US is suitable to use with a 0.28m³ bucket (ISO heaped), as well as tools for the 8-9 tonne class.

The model was produced in collaboration with KTEG and is now in full serial production. Hitachi has already sold 41 of the machines, which are said to have proven popular in leading markets for electric machines like Norway and Germany.

The engine of Hitachi ZXE85US excavator provides zero emissions at point of use. (Image: Nick Drew)

Also on display during Futureworx was Hitachi’s 3D machine control and special attachment solutions, which are installed and supported in the field by Hitachi’s own highly skilled HCT engineers.

Complimenting the range of additional hardware options available from HCT, Hitachi also showcased its new live telematics system, CTFleet Link.

CTFleet Link is a mixed-fleet management telematics system, utilising both the Hitachi Global e-Service API and a new bespoke API developed by HCMUK.

This enables customers to import ISO15143-3 compliant machine utilisation data from their full mixed fleet into one online portal giving fast access to the most important data sets such as fuel consumption and idling time.