It takes some seriously heavy equipment to make an ultra-class mining truck look little, but that’s exactly what German equipment giant Liebherr does best, and its newest, 250-tonne production excavator keeps that tradition alive – only this time, it’s electric.
Liebherr began converting its diesel-powered mining excavators to electric in limited numbers back in 2024, and electric power has proven to be effective – moving millions of tons of dirt while saving millions of dollars in fuel and maintenance costs. Now, the company is translating that testing experience into regular production practice with the launch of a new, all-electric machine. Meet the R 9300 G8-E.
Based on the proven R 9300 G8 platform, the new Liebherr R 9300 G8-E packs an 850 kW (~1,140 hp) electric drivetrain designed to IEC standards and supports 6-6.6 kV power supplies. The company says its electric setup offers customers the same hydraulic power and bucket capacity (1.8 tonnes/cubic meter, or ~1.5 short tons/cubic yard) as the diesel version.
All that electric power ships with advanced electronics and operator assistance systems designed to maximize both efficiency and safety while giving mine operators more data to work and plan with. Liebherr describes its take on ADAS thusly:
The R 9300 G8-E comes with Liebherr Power Efficiency – Hydraulic Control as standard, which adapts hydraulic power to suit the machine’s load profile, reducing overall engine load factor. Thanks to its Generation 8 electronic architecture, the R 9300 G8-E is compatible with a range of Liebherr’s IoMine technology products, including its range of excavator Assistance Systems, the semi-autonomous Bucket Filling Assistant, the Skyview vision system as well as the data visualisation tool, Data View. Customers also have the option of installing Liebherr’s autonomous cable reel solution onto the excavator to assist with cable management and support machine mobility on site.
LIEBHERR
Like its repowered cousins, the big electric excavator does seem to have on-board batteries, but is primarily driven and operated with grid power, reducing charging and re-charging concerns and enabling round-the-clock operations for as long as grid power holds.
More efficient, more effective
Liebherr touts the benefits of new R 9300 G8-E’s quiet, emissions-free running throughout its official announcement, but doesn’t stop there. The company says its EV, which makes do with thousands of fewer moving parts in its drivetrain, can also reduce maintenance requirements and associated operating costs in certain applications and site conditions while improving workplace conditions for the people who work in and around the machine.
The electric drivetrain also reduces vibration inside the cab, improving operator comfort, limiting fatigue, and potentially contributing to a safer working environment.
SOURCE | IMAGES: Liebherr.
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