As more and more battery powered heavy construction equipment is being released to help lower noise and emissions on the jobsite, I shouldn’t be that surprised to hear about a battery powered crawler crane – but, I still am.
In December, crane manufacturer – and amazingly cool crane video maker – Liebherr unveiled what they are calling the world’s first battery powered crawler cranes. These aren’t some dinky little mini-cranes either, they can lift up to 275 tons (250 metric tonnes).
Modeled off of their standard versions, Liebherr announced the LR 1200.1 unplugged and the LR 1250.1 unplugged. The 1200 is the smaller of the two, with a maximum lift capacity of 220 tons (200 metric tonnes) and the 1250 can lift up to 275 tons (250 metric tonnes).
The company says that the electric versions do not sacrifice any performance versus their conventional counterparts. With the machine plugged in, operators will see unlimited runtime, but with it unplugged, operators can expect up to 4 hours of runtime.
On conventional power, the batter will take about 4.5 hours to charge, while a higher amperage fast charging setup with fully charge the battery 2.25 hours.
According to the LR 1250.1 Unplugged’s data sheet, sound levels inside the cab peak at 72 dB, whereas sound levels outside of the machine will peak at 105 dB. The non-electric version of the LR 1250.1 states 72.9 dB and 107 dB, respectively.
Presumably due to the weight of the battery, the unplugged version also adds a little over 2 tons to the overall weight. The new machines also produce zero emissions, which can be helpful on sensitive jobsites.
“Especially the year 2020 has shown that one must be open-minded and bold to break new ground. With our unplugged cranes we offer our customers an alternative drive design. As we have already seen with the LB 16 unplugged, the first battery-powered drilling rig, the strategy is a complete success. Strict requirements regarding environmental sustainability in tenders for construction projects increase the demand for advanced technologies. For us, it was clear that we extend and successfully establish the design in further product groups,” says Gerhard Frainer, Managing Director for Sales at Liebherr-Werk Nenzing GmbH, in a press release.
For more information, check out Liebherr’s announcement video below (starting at 5:41), narrated by a guy with either the coolest or most terrifying voice that I have ever heard.
Shane is the creator of Construction Junkie and an active construction project manager. In his career, he has managed interior remodel projects, site development, construction safety, governmental project compliance, and facility maintenance. He has a strong passion for construction technology and safety, as well as sharing the knowledge or insights he has gained throughout his career.