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There’s a new solution in the race to reduce carbon emissions in the crane industry, with XCMG (Xuzhou Construction Mining Group) releasing three new electric cranes – each with different lifting capabilities and advantages that customers will want to take onto their job site.
XCMG’s new range includes the electric XCA60_EV and XCL200-E, offering all-electric power, and the XCA300- HEV hybrid all terrain which suits customers with hybrid needs, providing an incredibly well-balanced trio of cranes that complement each other.
All three electric-powered and hybrid cranes are a part of XCMG’s power trio that helps crane hiring companies limit their carbon footprint.
“It all comes down to the Mining Council Australia confirming the industry’s ambition to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, in support of the goals of the Paris Agreement,” explains Stephen Broomfield.
Stephen is bullish about the trio of EV products based on the early feedback XCMG has received from mining and construction groups in China, Europe, America and Australia.
“At this point in time, the feedback has been extremely positive,” he says.
XLC200-E: Smooth Crawler
Stephen believes XCMG is moving quickly towards reducing its carbon footprint across the company – an initiative many in the crane and heavy lifting industry are following.
“Technology is coming along quickly with advancing products such as hydrogen and electric, I think that domination is going to change quite quickly,” he says.
“I can’t say what the proven supply chain has been for last 50 years – but it won’t be the same for the next 50 years when it comes to cranes. I think that’s going to be the biggest change.”
As an EV option, a crane such as the XLC200-E is perfect for those looking to invest in electric powered products to contribute to the electric momentum set to sweep the lifting industry.
The XLC200-E is an all-electric lattice boom crawler which XCMG says is the correct fit for mining construction groups that want to go all-electric.
With a main boom length of 62m, the 220 tonne XLC220-E offers a fast response, fine movement and is inclusive of high controllability.
The maximum lifting weight of the tower jib is 80 tonnes, and the maximum lifting weight of the fixed auxiliary jib is 75 tonnes.
A set of boom sections can be combined to achieve multiple working conditions such as main boom, boom single pulley, fixed jib, tower jib, shield jib and tower jib single pulley.
The 3m-wide EV crane is narrow in nature, making it an ideal choice for easy transportability and also for construction projects in the city or metropolitan centres.
With a rated motor power of 250 kilowatts (335 horsepower) and a peak 360kW (483hp) capacity, this pure electric output is powerful but with limited vibration and low noise.
The self-assembling and disassembling crane can easily juggle work on different mine and other infrastructure sites.
XCMG’s PLC control system, designed by Wika Hirschmann, includes the control of main and auxiliary winch, rotation, main boom luffing, motor status monitoring, battery status detection and more; while all actions are controlled through PLC logic CAN-bus bus technology.
XCA300L8_HEV: Bilateral Game-Changer
The XCA300L8_HEV all terrain uses its diesel powered Mercedes engine – complying to EUROMOT 5 standards, ensuring the crane has the ability to travel to mine sites, while also using its dual power system (diesel and electric) to power itself onsite, therefore complementing the battery-power. When onsite, electric cranes need to undertake an incredibly large power draw to complete particular lifts, especially for lifts over 200 tonnes. This in turn can put substantial strain on the power system that is usually contributing most of the power to the mine site.
The HEV – hybrid crane executes a bilateral approach to executing big lifts, as the power doesn’t just come from the lithium battery, it is also supported by its diesel engine, therefore mitigating any risk of excessive power draws that could put the local power system at risk.
Aptly named the XCA300L8_HEV, the 300-tonne hybrid all-terrain crane features a 90m, eight-section main boom that can reach lengths of 128m, giving it a hook height of 120m.
The machine can be configured with up to 80 tonnes of combined counterweight which, according to XCMG, makes it most suited to urban construction, bridge projects, petrochemical reconstruction, tower crane assembly and power generation.
Furthermore, the XCA300L8_HEV holds a 0-50km/h acceleration time of 25.3 seconds, making it 40 per cent faster than the traditional fuel-powered cranes in its class. Compared to its fossil-fuel counterparts, the 300-tonne hybrid all-terrain crane offers a 40 per cent fuel saving, making the machine cost-effective, sustainable and practical.
XCA60_EV and AU Team-Up for Metro
As the 60 tonne all-terrain market remains as one of the more competitive crane markets in Australia, XCMG is producing ways to separate its product from the rest.
The XCA60_EV is a Swiss Army knife in the crane market, as it can work effectively on metro jobs, as well as proving to be a sustainable road vehicle.
For crane hire companies looking for a roadable, reliable, robust taxi crane, XCMG’s XCA60_EV is a strong choice.
“When crane operators organise for the XCA60_EV to arrive onsite, they can plug it in, and away you go,” says Stephen.
Powered by a EUROMOT five diesel Mercedes Benz engine, the XCA60_AU crane is also ADR/03 compliant.
XCMG has taken steps to ensure the crane presents a long-term asset that operates at a high level for a sustained period by manufacturing the crane to be ADR/04 compliant, meeting EUROMOT 5 regulations in the process.
The three-axle, 60-tonne all-terrain crane possesses a maximum hook height of 64.1m and a maximum operating radius of 40m.
As a taxi crane, accessibility is at the forefront of the crane’s design, with the machine measuring in at 12m long, 2.8m wide and 3.9m tall.
The six-section, U-shaped boom possesses a single-cylinder pinning telescoping system and, on its own, can reach heights of 10.7m through to 50m.
With the fixed lattice jib fitted on, the crane receives an extra 9.2m-to-16m in height that can be offset at angles of 0, 15, or 30 degrees. The crane can be optionally fitted with a 2.5m independent jib head and a 46-tonne hook block.
And excitingly for XCMG, it is casting its eyes towards a bigger and more dynamic machine.
XCMG is looking towards the future by filing a gap in the market, by blending its reputable lifting strength technology with progressed EV technology with a new 500-tonne electric crane.
“We are looking at a 500 tonne all- electric or hybrid crane as well, because at the end of the day, you’ll need us to provide a solution between 100 to 500 and greater, that’ll cover any market,” Stephen says. XCMG is proud to announce the release
of other carbon reducing cranes within its electric and hybrid range.
These include the plug-in hybrid XCA300L8_HEV all-terrain, the pure electric rough terrain XCR40_EV and electric plug-in telescopic crawler XGTC95-E and lattice jib crawler crane XLC220-E.
The XLC450 all-terrain is also available with a diesel hybrid plug-in option.
This demonstrates XCMG’s depth and knowledge of the next generation of cranes to meet the global requirements and customer needs.
