Tadano Ltd. announced plans to commercialize the world’s first electric rough terrain crane. Currently, in development, the crane will be able to drive to the job site and complete all lifting operations using battery/electric, rather than diesel power to deliver zero-emissions operation.
The electric motor promises to emit lower noise when operating. Resulting in significant advantages for customers lifting in urban areas with noise ordinances, completing lift projects at night, and operating indoors.
Tadano is working with a variety of industry suppliers and partners on the new electric rough terrain crane that is slated for late 2023.
In April 2021, the Tadano Group announced Long-Term Environmental Targets, which include a 25% reduction in CO2 emissions from business activities and 35% reduction in CO2 emissions from product use by 2030, and, even more importantly, achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Working toward these targets, the company has gathered all of its sustainable solutions under the name Tadano Green Solutions (TGS). Combined with lifting technology, the innovations introduced under TGS will contribute not only to sustainability but also to operating safety, quality, and efficiency.
Most cranes on the market today use diesel fuel to operate. For many models, the engine and drivetrain are required to both propel the crane to the job site and power the hydraulics used to lift loads.
Under the banner of TGS, electrification of the rough terrain crane product line is one of the key efforts for lowering product emissions. Other mainstay TGS initiatives include the Tadano E-Pack and the ability of most cranes manufactured by Tadano in Europe to be operated with reduced-emissions fuels like hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) without modification.
Tadano’s innovative E-Pack solution is currently available in Europe, and soon it will be available in Japan. The E-Pack allows crane operation without starting the engine. This electro-hydraulic system quickly connects to the crane to deliver the ultimate in zero-emission and low-noise operation. E-Pack’s intelligent electric motor control system ensures efficient power use at a lower operating cost versus diesel-powered cranes.
“In the spirit of greater harmony, Tadano contributes to a better global environment as a part of the surrounding society. We have set aggressive goals for lowering both operational and product emissions, and we will partner with industry-leading companies to attain those goals,” says Toshiaki Ujiie, President, CEO, and Representative Director of Tadano Ltd. “In conjunction with previous product innovations to lower CO2 emissions, we are excited to introduce the first battery/electric rough terrain crane, which will be a key driver for our goal of 35 percent reduction in product CO2 emissions by 2030.”
