Diesel-electric locomotives have been barreling along America’s wide-open spaces for generations, and the century-old combination of consistent, high-efficiency diesel engines spinning up generators to power high-torque electric motors has proven tough to beat. Now, Caterpillar is putting that century-old concept to work in an even bigger dozer – and the promised efficiency gains are incredible.
Before we get lost in the specs of Caterpillar‘s new D11 XE Electric Drive hybrid, I want to make sure that you, dear reader, understand that large-scale construction are often penciled and bid on razor-thin margins, and a swing in job site efficiency of just 1-2% can mean the difference between a winning deal or sour loser that leaves a bad taste in everyone’s mouth – and fuel prices were up 27.4% (!) in August alone.
Keep the staggering weight of what that kind of fuel cost can mean to a fleet that buys fuel by the literal truckload as you read the rest of this.
Efficiency is what it’s all about
| Engine | Cat® C32B |
| Powertrain | Electric drive |
| Emissions | Meets U.S. EPA Tier 2 equivalent and U.S. EPA Tier 4 Final/EU Stage V |
| Net* power forward – SAE J1349/ISO 9249, kW (hp) | 642 (861) |
| Net* power reverse, Tier 2 equivalent – SAE J1349/ISO 9249, kW (hp) | 715 (959) |
| Net* power reverse, Tier 4 Final/EU Stage V – SAE J1349/ISO 9249, kW (hp) | 712 (955) |
| Forward/reverse speed, infinitely variable, km/h (mph) | 0-11.2 (0-7.0) |
| Operating weight: single-shank ripper, U blade, 28-in ES shoes, kg (lb) | 108 316 (238,796) |
| Operating weight: single-shank heavy ripper, Carrydozer blade, 36-in ES shoes, kg (lb) | 117 007 (257,958) |
| Blade capacity: Semi-Universal, m³ (yd³) | 27.2 (35.6) |
| Blade capacity: Universal, m³ (yd³) | 34.4 (45.0) |
| Blade capacity: Carrydozer, m³ (yd³) | 43.6 (57.0) |
Designed to deliver up to 25% less fuel consumed per unit of material moved and moving 5% to 10% more material per hour than the latest Cat D11, the D11 EX Electric Drive also promises superior uptime, with up to 20% longer life between ICE rebuilds than the D11 and planned component repair intervals for the engine, final drives, and hydraulic systems increased from 15,000 to 18,000 operating hours.
“The D11 XE is designed to help customers get more from every hour of operation. By combining the proven capability of the D11 platform with the benefits of electric drive, it delivers meaningful gains in productivity, efficiency and lifecycle value,” explains Luke Fischer, product application specialist for Caterpillar. “It also reflects how far dozer performance has advanced, offering up to 25% greater efficiency than today’s D11 and up to 40% greater efficiency than the first D11N introduced in 1986.”
Better days
In addition to being more efficient than a diesel-driven dozer, the D11 XE is easier on the operator, as well. With no gears to shift, the D11 XE electric drive system is simpler, smoother, and – thanks to a dedicated drive motor at each track – incredibly precise, for strong maneuverability and superior pryout force by powering both tracks throughout the turn.
And, in a bid to encourage more operators to give their electric drive models a try, Caterpillar is offering on-demand learning resources through its online platform, catoperatortraining.com. Designed to be accessible any time and from any device, CAT’s is particularly valuable for operators, whether they’re digital natives or just learning how to navigate new technologies.
CAT’s new D11 XE joins the company’s middleweight D8 and D6 XE Electric Drive dozers in offering equipment fleets increased fuel savings, productivity, and lower maintenance and rebuild costs compared to their conventional counterparts – all of which contributes to higher utilization rates and lower total cost of ownership (TCO).
Electrek’s Take
While there are a lot of people in the construction space who may scoff at environmental concerns, the quest for improved efficiency and cost reduction among commercial fleet managers knows no political ideology. Add in more restrictive noise regulations and the side benefits of improved job site safety and fewer sick days, and electric equipment is a no-brainer.
“As more and more owners and operators experience what they deliver, and how Electric Drive addresses many of the operational and maintenance challenges associated with dozers,” explains Sam Meeker, market professional for Caterpillar. “We expect that adoption of electric drive systems in earthmoving equipment will continue to grow.”
To put it another way: if a machine is better or cheaper, fleets will buy it. If a machine is better AND cheaper, they’ll buy two — and electrically-driven heavy equipment assets are proving to be consistently better and cheaper, in a broader scope of use cases, than diesel alone.
SOURCE | IMAGES: Caterpillar.
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