Caterpillar unveil first hybrid excavator
Company to officially launch the Cat 336E H at next year’s Bauma exhibition in Munich
CATERPILLAR have unveiled the first model in their new line of hybrid excavators – the Cat 336E H. The new machine will be sold and serviced exclusively through the global Cat dealer network following the machine’s official launch at Bauma 2013 in Munich, Germany. The order book for the Cat 336E H will open in February, with factory shipments beginning in March 2013.
The Cat 336E H uses a new hydraulic hybrid technology developed by Caterpillar. ‘A hybrid is independent of any particular technology – it doesn’t have to be electric,’ said Ken Gray, global product manager for large hydraulic excavators for Caterpillar’s Excavation Division.
‘There are many ways to store and reuse energy, including our patented hydraulic hybrid system featured on the Cat 336E H.
‘Caterpillar have developed, built and tested electric hybrid excavators, but – until now – we had not found a hybrid approach that would actually lower our customers’ owning and operating costs,’ said Mr Gray.
‘Large excavators operate in high-production applications in which fuel is a very significant operating cost for our customers. So, the 336E H – the hybrid version of our workhorse 336E – is ideal for introducing our new hydraulic hybrid technology, with its more than 300 filed patents.
‘We can’t wait to see the reaction of our customers to the 336E H. No other commercially available technology has higher power density than hydraulics, and that’s why we selected a hydraulic solution to help our customers achieve substantial fuel savings.’
‘The 336E H is a game-changer – the most revolutionary excavator to come to market in decades,’ added Gary Stampanato, vice-president of Caterpillar’s Excavation Division.
‘Customers aren’t going to choose the 336E H simply because it is sustainable. They will select it because it actually lowers their owning and operating costs, and maintains the performance of our industry leader, the 336E. The 336E H extends our leadership, is the right thing to do for our customers and is a sign of great things to come.’
