Komatsu’s PC210LCE-11 electric excavator surfaces in Australia

Taking center stage at Komatsu’s stand at the Diesel Dirt and Turf show in mid-April, Komatsu’s PC210LCE-11 is not your conventional digger.

While looking just like any mid-sized excavator on the market, the PC210LCE-11 is in fact a battery powered unit, and is still some way from being available commercially in Australia.

The unit has been made available in the Japanese and European market and will gradually be rolled out to other parts of Asia and the world, including Australia.

According to Komatsu, the excavator will be undergoing a series of demos and trials in the country to gauge its suitability for the local market and any customer feedback.  

“It’s going to spend about two years working on sites to appraise the usage and requirements of operators and the effectiveness of it. Komatsu will also need to look at charging requirements and infrastructure to determine whether this is a good fit for the local market,” said Komatsu Australia’s National Business Manager for Construction Excavators, Scott Berry.

The PC210LCE-11 is powered by six lithium-ion battery packs that were developed by US-based EV technology company, Proterra. Charging takes about six hours, which will give operators about nine hours of operation, Komatsu claimed.

“In terms of performance, this machine is made to be absolutely in line with its diesel counterpart,” Berry said.

“Sitting in this machine, the cabin is exactly the same as the diesel machine. It has Komatsu’s 3D machine guidance system and KomVision for safety all around.

“But for an operator, there's much less noise in the cab and no vibration, which creates a much less fatigued environment for the operator, and absolutely no emissions.”

Berry said the company has been seeing increasing demand for electric machinery as more construction companies seek to increase their ESG scores.

“Certainly the appetite in the market is big for electric equipment but whether or not this (PC210LCE-11) is the answer, it remains to be seen. That's what Komatsu will be evaluating.”