Diesel-electric mobile machines provide many of the benefits of electrification without the shortcomings. The push for electrification of mobiles equipment is in full swing, with dozens of OEMs showcasing battery-electric models that promise zero emissions, low noise, and minimal maintenance headaches. But the current generation of electric machines also has serious drawbacks. They struggle to […]
Hydraulic hybrids
New-generation hydraulics for electrically powered machines
Climate-change mitigation and lower CO2 emissions are keen topics of discussion among construction industry OEMs and manufacturers of mobile machines for agriculture, forestry and mining. Which drive systems will be most suitable in the future to meet the demands for high power density and efficient, economical operation with minimal pollutant emissions? Industry expert Dierk Peitsmeyer, […]
Embrace hydraulics, or call it quits
It’s barely February and we already know the fluid-power industry’s news of the year: Danfoss is acquiring Eaton Hydraulics for $3.3 billion. It paints a stark contrast between two corporations’ view of the future of hydraulics. Eaton’s CEO Craig Arnold said the sale “is part of the ongoing transformation of Eaton into a higher growth […]
Danfoss acquires Visedo, an expert in electric solutions
Danfoss continues to invest in innovation to enable further growth, the latest with the acquisition of Visedo Oy, a world-leading expert in electric solutions for the off-highway and marine markets. With this step, Danfoss is responding to the growing customer demand for electric solutions to reduce emissions and pollution and to increase productivity. Visedo is […]
Decentralized hydraulics for micro excavators
Environmental restrictions and economic pressures have spurred greater interest in hybrid and electric off-road mobile machinery. According to researchers Tatiana Minav, Matti Pietola and Shuzhong Zhang of Aalto University in Espoo, Finland, in addition to well-established methods for energy saving in hydraulic systems, a promising concept is zonal or decentralized hydraulics—an approach first pioneered in […]
Lightweight piston accumulators used in hydraulic systems for hybrid powertrains
Hydraulic energy recuperation with hydraulic accumulators responds to demands for increasingly energy efficient and fuel-conserving solutions. Developers at Freudenberg Sealing Technologies have succeeded at significantly reducing the weight of high-pressure and low-pressure piston accumulators thanks to a special construction design and a new joining technology. Hydraulic accumulators are used to store braking energy in hybrid […]
Lightning Hybrids renames company Lightning Systems and announces rollout of new fleet efficiency products
Loveland, Colo.-based Lightning Hybrids announced it will change its name to Lightning Systems, effective immediately. Lightning Systems also announced that in the next two years it will introduce a new lineup of fleet efficiency products to support commercial and government fleets. Lightning Systems supplies hydraulic-hybrid systems for delivery trucks, shuttle and paratransit buses, refuse trucks, […]
Lightning Hybrids expands its UK facilities
Lightning Hybrids, which manufactures hydraulic-hybrid propulsion systems for trucks and buses, has doubled the space it of its UK facility as it aims to expand its international business. Bonnie Trowbridge, company spokesperson, said that sales were promising in England, so moved from its office outside London—which was established in 2015— to the Motor Industry Research […]
Engineering a groundbreaking hydraulic hybrid
Here’s an inside look at the concepts, engineering and testing behind Caterpillar’s highly successful 336EH hydraulic hybrid excavator. By Aleksandar Egelja, Engineering Manager, Advanced Hydraulic Systems, Caterpillar Inc. Recently, I had the pleasure of addressing Fluid Power World’s inaugural Technology Conference in Milwaukee. The discussion centered on Caterpillar’s innovative 336EH hydraulic-hybrid excavator, and how this novel design increases fuel […]
Peapod grocery delivery adds hydraulic hybrid trucks to its fleet
Peapod, an online grocer, took delivery of its first two fuel efficient, hydraulic hybrid delivery trucks this month. The vehicles, existing Workhorse walk-in vans with GM gasoline engines and equipped with the Lightning Hybrids Energy Recovery System (ERS), are in service on the streets of Chicago and were partially paid for by the Drive Clean […]
