Zoomlion claims first electric truck crane

The ZTC250N-EV is claimed by its manufacturer Zoomlion as the world’s first fully electric truck crane.

Developed by the Chinese construction equipment manufacturing giant, the first unit rolled off the production line at Zoomlion’s Quantang Industrial Park in Changsha on May 7, 2020.

It is a 25 tonne capacity model on a three axle carrier with a claimed range of more than 260 km and a maximum speed of 90 km/h. The manufacturer claims the energy running cost as 35 per cent of a comparable diesel model and zero exhaust emission at the point of use. Gradeability is 50 per cent. The sound level on the road and when operating is no more than 65 dB, Zoomlion said.

Wang Qitao, technical director of engineering at the Zoomlion cranes division, said, “We set up a specialized team in 2018, consisting of staff from research, engineering, manufacturing and quality control departments, and completed the production of the truck crane within two years.”

Power is from a lithium iron phosphate or lithium ferrophosphate (LFP) battery which is a type of lithium-ion battery with a longer life and a more constant discharge voltage. Battery charging is via standard charging plugs and industrial sockets.

Wang commented, “We have partnered with the world’s leading suppliers for green energy parts and tailored to the usage scenarios and working conditions of truck cranes. We equipped the truck crane with high energy storage density LFP battery, which is the safest in the world.”