To support customers during the energy transition to a lower-carbon future, Caterpillar will display four electric machine prototypes, including battery prototypes, at bauma 2022 October 24-30 in Munich, Germany. The batteries and machines offer some insight into what may be to come for smaller class mining and quarrying machines. The 301.9 and 906 are expected to be the first commercially available models.
Caterpillar says it is focused on delivering purpose-built solutions to help customers achieve their sustainability goals by geography, by jobsite and specific customer need. One of many solutions, the battery electric machine prototypes include the 301.9 mini excavator, 320 medium excavator, 950 GC medium wheel loader and 906 compact wheel loader. The machines are powered by Caterpillar battery prototypes and include an onboard AC charger. The company also plans to offer an offboard DC fast charging option.
“Caterpillar is well positioned to help customers reach their sustainability goals, including lowering emissions on the jobsite,” said Construction Industries Group President Tony Fassino. “It’s important we meet customers on their sustainability journey today with a variety of solutions including machines that run on renewable fuels or technology that increases fuel efficiency, as well as supporting them into the future as we power our next generation of machines.”
The Caterpillar-designed batteries in these machines will also be available to power other industrial applications. Built on proven Caterpillar technology, the lithium-ion battery range features a modular design that offers flexible configurations across multiple applications. The batteries are engineered to be scalable to industry and customer performance needs and maximise sustainability throughout their lifecycle, including recycling and reuse at the end of life.
“Our electrified products leverage our deep system integration experience and are designed to meet the performance expectations that customers have come to expect from Caterpillar,” said Joe Creed, Energy & Transportation Group President. “We’re focused on helping our customers achieve the optimal product and jobsite energy lifecycle, allowing them to maximise value and minimise their total cost of operation.”
Prototype lithium-ion battery line-up
As stated, as part of the company’s enterprise strategy to support customers during the energy transition to a lower-carbon future, Caterpillar has also announced the development of 48-volt, 300-volt, and 600-volt batteries for the off-highway industry which will also be showcased at bauma 2022.
Leveraging expertise across Caterpillar’s global network of technical centres in the US, UK, China and India, the program focuses initially on battery solutions for equipment used predominantly in industrial applications. The battery range uses lithium-ion technology and features a modular design to optimise performance and packaging. Furthermore, they have been engineered with sustainability in mind throughout their lifecycle, with the potential to reuse and recycle at the end of life.
The development program also encompasses inverters, motors, electronic controls, digital services and other critical technologies to deliver the performance, reliability, durability, maintainability, and long-term value needed for equipment buyers working in harsh operating environments.
“Caterpillar has demonstrated a long-standing commitment to sustainability through improvements in our operations and by helping our customers achieve their climate-related goals,” said Steve Ferguson, Senior Vice President Caterpillar Industrial Power Systems. “Today’s announcement of our battery program is our latest step in combining a wide-ranging inventory of innovations with extensive knowledge of the off-highway industry to offer solutions for a range of power needs, application types, duty cycles and operating environments.”
Caterpillar has committed that 100% of its new products through 2030 will be more sustainable than the previous generation, which is reflected in Caterpillar’s lineup of industrial-power solutions and integrated services finely tuned for owners of third-party equipment powered by Cat® engines.
“Improved sustainability is a journey, not a destination, and one size doesn’t fit all in determining the appropriate power solution for equipment owners,” Ferguson said. “Our offerings can help customers and end users start improving the sustainability of their operations today through high-efficiency engines, fuels and digital solutions now available for the jobsite, by extending value and reducing waste over the lifecycle of equipment they already own, and by powering the next generation of equipment with innovations precisely configured for the jobsite.”
