Doosan Excavators

According to the United Nations, the construction industry accounts for 37% of carbon dioxide emissions globally, with nearly 10% of this figure coming from the machinery and equipment used on sites. With global construction forecasted to grow by 42% by 2030, emissions from machinery and equipment use will continue to increase in a business-as-usual scenario. However, a growing number of countries worldwide are looking to cut construction-related emissions as the world transitions to net-zero. Cities including Oslo, Helsinki, Amsterdam and London have set targets for zero-emission construction sites.

Electric Construction Equipment (ECE) has a license agreement with Doosan to modify the firm’s equipment for European dealers. When Doosan was planning on adding two new battery-electric excavators to its portfolio, ECE turned to Electrauvision, a division of Danfoss’ partner Hydrauvision, to supply Danfoss’ drivetrains.

The newly developed machines are a 16-ton wheel excavator and a 30-ton crawler excavator. Manufacturers usually build wheeled excavators with a diesel engine, so developing zero-emission versions of them came with two main constraints: replacing the diesel engine and developing an alternative for the machine’s energy supply.

The traditional diesel engines typically found in excavators have been swapped for an electric powertrain equipped with a permanent magnet motor, provided by Danfoss’ Editron division. The system is controlled by a Danfoss controller and features a display that uses Danfoss’ PLUS+1® software platform.

Both excavator models also feature an innovative exchange battery swapping system where an electric powerbox is used to power the electric drivetrain. The electric powerbox, also controlled by a Danfoss controller, has a unique independent climate control system that guarantees the batteries will remain in excellent operating condition. Hydrauvision is pioneering the use of swappable powerboxes for the energy supply, which can be charged at another location or even by the machine itself. This powerbox also has further applications, including that it can be used for DC charging, thanks to the independent climate control system.

The innovative excavators were built using sustainable techniques and materials to minimize their carbon footprint for customers and dealers across Europe. ECE also performed the homologation and certification of the machines and the powerbox technology according to the most recent European regulations. The company chose Danfoss products due to the group’s excellent technical support and efficient supply chain, which helped realize the ambitious building program. Danfoss’ Editron division’s permanent magnet motors also offer a torque characteristic that perfectly matches the requirement for the machines.

The first electric machines were delivered at the end of 2021 and are now operating in the Netherlands and Norway. Further fully electric Doosan excavators are also in production, including 20 30-ton crawlers and 40 16-ton wheeled models. ECE is also developing a 200-kilowatt electric tractor and a 17-ton electric wheel loader. These models will be based on the same electric powerbox used in the 16-ton wheel and 30-ton crawler excavators.