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- Hitachi Construction Machinery Opens ZERO EMISSION EV-LAB for Collaborative Creation of Zero Emission Work Sites with Customers and Partners
Hitachi Construction Machinery Opens ZERO EMISSION EV-LAB for Collaborative Creation of Zero Emission Work Sites with Customers and Partners
Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd. will establish the ZERO EMISSION EV-LAB, a research facility aimed at achieving zero emissions at work sites. The facility, located in Ichikawa, Chiba prefecture (Japanese equivalent to a district), is set to open in May 2024.
The ZERO EMISSION EV-LAB will feature equipment such as battery-powered electric excavators of various models, mobile energy storage systems, and other related construction equipment, all manufactured by the Hitachi Construction Machinery Group. The facility will also host partners including Isuzu Motors Ltd., ITOCHU Corporation, Kyushu Electric Power Co., Inc., and others, who will collaborate to establish business models through the lab.
The facility will include demonstration areas to simulate sites where electrically powered construction machinery and equipment are in operation and an area for visitors to exchange ideas. The aim is to explore the challenges and possibilities of achieving zero emissions at construction sites together.
The increasing interest in electric construction machinery, which does not produce carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases during operation, has been noted. However, the challenge lies in the fact that construction machinery is sometimes used at sites with no charging equipment or temporary power sources nearby. To achieve zero emissions at construction sites, it will be necessary to develop charging equipment and other infrastructure, as well as implement efficient operations.
As part of its efforts to promote zero emissions at construction sites, Hitachi Construction Machinery established the Zero Emissions Business Planning Project on October 1, 2023. The company has signed a memorandum with Kyushu Electric Power for the joint development of mobile energy storage systems for the Japanese market, and a memorandum with ITOCHU and Alfen B.V. of the Netherlands for plans to start the sale and rental of mobile energy storage systems for the European market. The company plans to further accelerate collaborative creation with partners at the ZERO EMISSION EV-LAB.