The manufacturer says the 16tonne machine is equipped with a hydrogen fuel cell, providing the electrical power to operate the machine with zero tailpipe emissions.
The machine is suitable for use in road building and urban construction, and the manufacturer plans to commercialise the technology utilised in the concept model from 2025.
Hyundai Construction Equipment has been developing a hydrogen fuel cell-powered driveline since 2020, when it signed a memorandum of understanding with Hyundai Motors and with specialist division Hyundai Mobis, at its Mabuk Research Centre in Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do.
Together, the three companies have committed to develop hydrogen fuel cells to power forklifts and medium/large excavators over the coming years. Unlike a diesel-powered wheeled excavator, the hydrogen-powered machine has a fuel cell mounted in the rear of the upper-structure.
The fuel cell relies on a chemical reaction between the stored hydrogen and oxygen that is present in the air. The fuel cell stack generates electrical energy from this reaction, with an inverter converting this energy into usable electrical power.
This is used to drive the hydraulic pump, to power the machine in the normal way. Hyundai says the only emission from the fuel cell stack is water, a combination of the hydrogen and oxygen. It adds that when the hydrogen is produced using renewable energy, such as off-shore wind, this creates an incredibly low carbon powertrain. For the excavator, the hydrogen is stored on the right-hand side of the machine, opposite the operator’s cab, in high-pressure tanks.
This technology is already in use in Hyundai’s Nexo fuel cell passenger car. HCE says this transfer of technology to the construction equipment market will provide it with a ground-breaking wheeled excavator package, delivering all the power and performance that a contractor requires, with zero on-site emissions and the ability to refuel from a hydrogen station in minutes, even in the most remote locations.
“The development of the first excavator powered by hydrogen is very exciting, as we work towards a carbon-free world,” says Gert Peeters, product manager at Hyundai CE Europe. “Over the coming months, HCE will continue to develop and further refine this technology and thereby pursue our goal to lead the transition into a zero-carbon future.”
