Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd. will establish the ZERO EMISSION EV-LAB — a research facility for collaborative creation with customers and partners to achieve zero emissions at work sites — in the city of Ichikawa, Japan, in May 2024.
The equipment to be provided at ZERO EMISSION EV-LAB is set to include battery-powered electric excavators (2-tonne, 5-tonne, 8-tonne, and 13-tonne models) manufactured by the Hitachi Construction Machinery Group, as well as mobile energy storage systems and other related construction equipment.
In addition, Isuzu Motors Ltd, ITOCHU Corporation, Kyushu Electric Power Co. Inc., and others will also join the ZERO EMISSION EV-LAB as partners, and will work together through the facility to establish business models.
The facility will feature demonstration areas to simulate sites where electrically powered construction machinery and equipment are in operation, along with a communication area where visitors can exchange opinions and come up with new ideas.
As a result, the facility will enable customers and partners from around the world to explore the challenges and possibilities of achieving zero emissions at construction sites.
Interest in electric construction machinery, which does not produce carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases during operation, has been on the rise in recent years.
However, construction machinery is sometimes used at sites with no charging equipment or temporary power sources nearby.
To achieve zero emissions at construction sites, it will be necessary not only to introduce electrically-powered construction machinery, but also to provide customers with the Power Grid Solutions, which includes the development of charging equipment and other infrastructure — as well as the implementation of efficient operations.
Hitachi Construction Machinery established the Zero Emissions Business Planning Project on 1 October 2023 to promote zero emissions at construction sites.
As part of that project, the company signed a memorandum with Kyushu Electric Power concerning the joint development of mobile energy storage systems for the Japanese market, as well as a memorandum with ITOCHU and Alfen B.V. of the Netherlands — concerning plans to start the sale and rental of mobile energy storage systems for the European market.
Going forward, Hitachi Construction Machinery plans to further accelerate collaborative creation with partners at the ZERO EMISSION EV-LAB.
