Electric construction equipment produces zero emissions at the point of use.

Nischal Mehrotra, Senior Vice President, Sales & Marketing, LiuGong India

What is your range of electric construction equipment produced?

LiuGong offers a growing range of electric construction equipment, with a focus on wheel loaders and excavators in India for now. Rest, worldwide, we have a wide range of electric vehicles such as skid steer loaders, mining trucks and also electric rollers along with the hex and WL line-ups in Indian market: 22 Ton Excavators – 922FE – Towing Cable; 2 Ton & 6Ton class – Wheel Loaders – 820TE, 856 HE-Max. Some specific models and specifications of our electric construction equipment may vary depending on the region/country. As environmental regulations become stricter and demand for clean energy solutions grows, we expect to come up with our new models in electric equipment.

How do you perceive the market shift towards electric construction equipment?

We perceive the market shift towards electric construction equipment for various brands like LiuGong itself is a positive and inevitable trend, driven by several factors.

The construction industry is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, nearly 20%, with diesel-powered equipment being a significant source. Electric construction equipment produces zero emissions at the point of use, helping to combat climate change and improve air quality.

Also, our government is implementing stricter regulations on emissions from construction sites, creating a strong incentive for companies to adopt electric alternatives.

It can offer significant cost savings over the long term, due to lower fuel and maintenance costs. We have personally witnessed that consumers are increasingly interested in products and services that are environmentally friendly. By adopting electric construction equipment, we can demonstrate our commitment to sustainability and improve our public image.

What battery technology is utilized in your electric construction equipment?

LiuGong utilizes Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) batteries in its electric construction equipment. LFP batteries have a longer lifespan (~3500-3800 charging cycles – corresponds to more than 22,000 hrs of working operation) compared to other lithium-ion chemistries and NMC’s~2000-2500 charging cycles.

They are inherently safer, offering greater thermal stability and reduced risk of thermal runaway, a potential safety hazard associated with some lithium-ion batteries. They also experience minimal performance degradation in hot and cold temperatures, making them suitable for a wide range of operating environments, approx. from -40 to 85 degree Celsius.

LFP batteries are phosphate-based, eliminating the use of cobalt, a mineral extraction of which can raise ethical and environmental concerns. Additionally, they are recyclable, contributing to a more sustainable lifecycle. Overall, our choice of LFP batteries underscores its commitment to providing reliable, efficient, and sustainable electric construction equipment.

How does the performance of your electric equipment compare to traditional diesel-powered machinery in terms of power, efficiency, and durability?

In terms of power, Electric motors can deliver instantaneous high torque, often exceeding the peak power of comparable diesel engines. This translates to faster acceleration, better responsiveness, and improved performance in tasks requiring sudden bursts of power, like manoeuvring heavy loads or digging into hard soil. Also. the power is very much sustained in electric vehicles. LiuGong’s latest model of wheel loader, the 856HE-Max has a 350kWh battery, large enough to maintain sufficient power for 8-9 hours continuously even up to 10 hours.

In the efficiency parameter, I would say electric motors convert more energy into power than diesel engines, meaning they waste less energy as heat. This results in significantly lower fuel costs and improved overall efficiency.

They also require less maintenance compared to diesel engines, with fewer moving parts. This translates to increased uptime and reduced maintenance costs. The motors operate much quieter than diesel engines, leading to a more pleasant working environment for operators and surrounding communities.

Electric motors generally have fewer moving parts than internal combustion engines, potentially reducing maintenance needs and improving overall reliability.

While diesel engines can have long lifespans with proper maintenance, electric motors generally have fewer moving parts and experience less wear and tear. This potentially leads to a longer lifespan for electric equipment, although battery replacement should be factored in, which is to be considered after 5-6 years of usage.

But the main factor being, they produce zero emissions at the point of use, contributing to a cleaner environment and reduced environmental impact compared to diesel-powered machinery.

How are you managing the availability of technical support and maintenance services for your electric offerings?

We have dedicated service centres, area sales managers appointed by us and authorized dealerships equipped to provide technical support, maintenance, and repair services for our electric construction equipment sites.

We often conduct training programs for service technicians and dealers to ensure they are well-versed in the maintenance and repair of electric equipment. This helps in providing timely and effective support to customers.

And also, online resources, such as documentation, manuals, and video tutorials, play a major role in assisting customers in troubleshooting common issues and performing basic maintenance tasks.

Our key interaction interface is our app, i-Link, available on google playstore, which helps us to evaluate and learn about the live functioning and parameters of our machine nationwide. We instruct and teach our valued customers how to use it for live monitoring purposes.

A dedicated customer support hotline is often available for customers to contact and receive assistance with technical issues or to schedule maintenance services.

Any partnerships or collaborations enhancing electric construction equipment development?

Yes, we have several important collaborations and Partnerships that are propelling our electric construction equipment development forward.

We have our strategic partnership with CATL (Contemporary Amperex Technology Limited) leveraging our expertise to jointly develop and manufacture batteries specifically for construction equipment, aiming to achieve high performance, extended range, and affordability.

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