Kubota shows Stage IIIB midi-excavator

Kubota Baumaschinen has launched its first excavator with a Kubota Stage IIIB engine.

The new 8 t class KX80-4, which replaces the KX80-3 model, has a Kubota engine using a common rail injection system and DPF. The engine has already been used on Kubota’s agricultural tractors, but this is its first application in a Kubota construction model.

Kubota’s export sales manager Bernard Dewaele told IRN the DPF regeneration will be automatic, with users only prompted if they need to increase engine speed during regeneration. The operator can also stop the regeneration process if necessary during working.

The use of the Stage IIIB engine provides fuel efficiency benefits: in ‘Ecomode’ there will be an 18% fuel saving based on the same power output of the -3 model, and savings of 12% will be possible when working in ‘full power’ operation.

All other Kubota excavators are under the 37 kW rating and do not currently require the use of Stage IIIB engines.

Kubota also showed for the first time prototypes of its two German-built wheeled loaders. The two models are the 4.3 t RP15 and the 4.7 t RP16 - with respective bucket capacities of 0.65 m3 and 0.85 m3 - will be in production by the start of 2014 with the first deliveries a year from now.