At World of Concrete 2020, Retrofitting Diesel Equipment With Lithium-Ion Batteries
Small firm Green Machine is targeting contractors' aging fleets
Photo Courtesy of Green Machine
Photo by Corinne Grinapol for ENR
Photo by Corinne Grinapol for ENR
For those thinking about electrification, Green Machine provides a custom retrofit of diesel-powered small equipment to run off of lithium-ion batteries. At this year’s World of Concrete trade show, held Feb. 4-7 in Las Vegas, interest in the concept was real. The battery-powered mini hydraulic excavators and portable light towers on offer by the company, ideal for indoor applications, sold out, according to a company spokesperson.
The retrofit mini excavators offered come in two models: the 7-ft, 2.2-in. e210 and the 8-ft, 2.6-in. e240. Both have a 9-hr run time. The e210 can charge from either a 110V or 220V outlet, with a 2-hour charge time using the latter. The e240 uses a 220V outlet to charge in 10 hours.
The electric light tower is silent, according to the company. It has a 20-hour run time and can be recharged using either a 110V or 220V outlet. It will charge in 5 hours using a 220V outlet.
The batteries come with a three-year warranty. In addition to the equipment retrofits, the company also sells a battery system that can serve as a generator or backup power supply, and can shift load during peak demand.
Large equipment manufacturers have made some inroads into battery-powered compact equipment, but slow growth has created opportunities for smaller companies to step up.
Green Machine launched in 2010 and is now a subsidiary, along with lithium-ion battery distributor Volta Energy Products, of Viridi Parente, Buffalo, N.Y. The parent company announced in December 2019 that it had secured $29 million in a Series B funding round led by Grand Oaks Capital, also based in Western New York.
It takes about a week for Green Machine to retrofit a piece of equipment at its Buffalo, N.Y., shop at the site of the former American Axle & Manufacturing auto plant, which has been redeveloped to provide space for small manufacturers and startups.
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