JCB India launched the first fully-electric excavator at Excon 2k21. Prateek Pardeshi shares its capabilities among other KEY exhibits in line with the vision, road to zero emissions.

JCB India has fast-tracked its road to zero Construction Equipment Vehicle (CEV) emissions. In line with the vision, the company showcased eight CEVs at Excon 2k21. It also showcased two gensets at Excon 2k21. This year, the company especially caught the attention of the B2B visitors with its excavator segment led by the first fully-electric excavator, claimed to have been built in India. Deepak Shetty, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director at JCB India mentioned, “The JCB 19C-1E is the industry’s first fully-electric excavator in India and is integral to JCB’s ‘Road to Zero’ initiative, a programme that we have been working on for the past few years.” In the excavator segment, the products launched at Excon 2k21 included a brand new JCB 19C-1E, a fully electric mini excavator, and shared booth space with the 35Z HD and 37C HD new mini excavator aimed at potential opportunities as a result of smart infrastructure scaling up. The company also launched a 22-tonne hydraulic excavator on the NXT platform specially designed for Indian applications. For industrial applications, the company showcased the four-tonne telescopic handler, an articulated boom lift AJ48 D, and a natural gas genset, the G125 NG.

Electric excavator
The showstopper, JCB 19C-1E electric mini excavator draws power from a three-phase AC, permanent magnet motor. Delivering a constant motor, a power output of 7 kW and peak power of 20 kW, it offers the operator three performance operating modes depending upon the deployed duty cycle. For example, the L (Light) revs the engine at 1200 rpm, G (General) at 1600 rpm, and H (Heavy) at 1800 rpm. A set of four 48V manganese, lithium-ion batteries power the motor for a full day of operations on a single charge. With a gross capacity of 19.8 kWh, the battery can be charged using on-board and off-board (fast charger). The Onboard charging is further split into a 110V charger requiring up to 10.5 hrs for a full charge and a 230V charger to charge in half the time (five hours). A fast charging option has the battery charge to its full capacity in 2.5 hours. Building on the 2GO hydraulic isolation system, the new models have equipped with the latest generation and offer secondary safety prevention of external machine movement, reduction in accidental operation and comes with a retrofitted option for operators. The auto-idle and auto kick-up redistribute power from the Power Control Unit (PCU) to enhance battery life. Claimed Shetty, that the machine has been tested extensively and has various built-in features that enhance safety and performance. With zero emissions and low NVH levels, the new machine is deemed an ideal fit for infrastructure development projects. In addition, JCB introduced the 35Z HD mini excavator with a maximum operating weight of 3.79-tonne powered by the net engine power of 25.34hp (18.9 kW), and with a 0.11 Cu. m. bucket. This CEV is claimed to be suited for work in confined spaces to fill up the void left by mid-size excavators.