Utilities contractor Falco has teamed up with plant supplier, CBL, to trial the new fully-electric mini-excavator from Takeuchi. A demonstration at Falco’s premises in London saw the TB20e battery-powered compact excavator perform tasks alongside its diesel-powered equivalent (TB216) – watched by representatives from industry and Falco’s client base.
“Everyone present was impressed, the Takeuchi model is the first electric excavator we have seen that performs comparably with more traditionally-powered models,” said Falco’s Support Services Director, Alan Seyfi, “We estimate that replacing our current fleet with TB20e’s would directly remove over 150 tonnes of CO2 emissions each year and be a major step forward on our road to Net Zero.”
Click to view a video of the event: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgAauUjNSis
Falco currently uses over 120 mini-excavators to facilitate the maintenance and repairs of underground utilities assets for clients throughout the South of England including UK Power Networks and Thames Water.
As well as reducing or eliminating CO2 emissions the electric-powered excavator is a much cleaner alternative as it emits zero pollutants such as nitrous oxide (NOx) and particulates (PM2.5). Furthermore it is much less noisy than the its diesel equivalent – producing up to 13 decibels less noise during normal operation which is great news for nearby residents, pedestrians as well as Falco’s machine operators.
The new machines will now be extensively tested in-the-field by Falco’s operative teams over the next 2 years for usability, charging frequency and performance in all weather and ground conditions. Falco anticipate starting the replacement of their existing fleet with electric-powered models in 2027/28.
Takeuchi UK expect the TB20e model to be widely available in the UK market from February 2024.