.png)
Komatsu already makes battery-powered mini-excavators but believes that battery power is unlikely to feasible for larger construction machinery.
Therefore it is now working on the near-term commercial production of medium-sized and large construction equipment powered by hydrogen fuel cells.
For the new concept machine, Komatsu has adopted a hydrogen fuel cell system and hydrogen tank, produced by Toyota Motor Corporation, on Komatsu's medium-sized hydraulic excavator.
Medium-sized and large construction equipment both require a power source with higher energy density than that of small construction equipment, which has led to the move to electrification with batteries. Because hydrogen has a higher energy density and can be refuelled in a shorter time than is required for recharging batteries, Komatsu has been advancing its R&D efforts as a promising electrification choice for medium-sized and large models, it said.
Got a story? Email news@theconstructionindex.co.uk
