Doosan hybrid by 2014
By Chris Sleight12 February 2009
Doosan Infracore has started to develop a hybrid diesel electric excavator, which it expects to make available by 2014. The company says it expects to improve fuel efficiency by +35% for the 22 tonne tracked machine, equating to savings of KRW 17 million (US$ 12200) per year.
A seven-strong consortium led by Doosan is co-operating on the project, which is being run under the auspices of South Korea's Ministry of Knowledge and Economy's (MOKE) project for strategic development of technologies.
The other participants are engine specialist Komotec, electronics manufacturer ADT, Doosan's hydraulics arm Doosan Mottrol, agricultural equipment manufacturer LS Mtron, Seoul National University, the Korean Institute of Machinery & materials (KIMM) and Germany's RWTH Aachen University, which brings expertise in pneumatic and electronic power systems.
Dr Kim Nak-in, who is heading the project for Doosan said, "Doosan Infracore will secure its position as the world's top construction equipment manufacturer in the hybrid excavator market, which is expected to grow to KRW 730 billion (US$ 525 million) by 2020. Our hybrid technology developed here will also be applied to wheeled loaders and forklifts."
