John Deere's entry into the growing hybrid segment rolled out at this year's World of Concrete show, held on Feb. 5-8 in Las Vegas.
Shown in prototype form at CONEXPO 2011, the 644K Hybrid Loader includes a few tweaks, including an upgrade to its original fuel-economy estimate of 15% to 20% more than the non-hybrid version's; now, Deere says the 20-ton hybrid gets up to 25% savings. Its simple controls and quiet operation are thanks in part to the engine's narrow speed band of 900 to 1,800 rpm.