Lithium-ion batteries for off-highway equipment

The development of a range of 48 V, 300 V, and 600 V batteries for the off-highway industry was recently announced.

Caterpillar’s battery development programme aims to help third-party original-equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and equipment owners transition to low carbon operations.

The battery range uses lithium-ion technology and features a modular design to optimise performance and packaging. The battery solutions are currently designed mainly for equipment used in industrial applications, and have been designed with the potential to be reused and recycled at the end of life.

The development programme also encompasses inverters, motors, electronic controls, digital services and other technologies specifically engineered for operating in harsh environments.

Caterpillar showcased prototypes of its battery technologies at the recently held bauma construction and mining machinery trade fair in Munich, Germany.

“Today’s announcement of our battery programme is our latest step in combining a wide-ranging inventory of innovations with extensive knowledge of the off-highway industry to offer solutions for a range of power needs, application types, duty cycles and operating environments,” said senior VP Caterpillar Industrial Power Systems Steve Ferguson.

“Our offerings can help customers and end-users start improving the sustainability of their operations today through high-efficiency engines, fuels and digital solutions now available for the jobsite, by extending value and reducing waste over the lifecycle of equipment they already own, and by powering the next generation of equipment with innovations precisely configured for the jobsite,” Ferguson said.

Caterpillar highlights a range of solutions and services, including:

• Diesel engines from 8.2 kW to 1 566 kW that meet EU Stage V and US EPA Tier 4 final emission standards while delivering superior performance and low operating costs.
• Cat diesel engines can run on renewable liquid fuels and accommodate the use of biodiesel and hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO). Cat C-Series engines used to power Sandvik mobile crushers and screeners can run on renewable and alternative fuels including HVO.
• Caterpillar’s integrated suite of connected solutions helps to optimise engine efficiency.
• The global Cat dealer network provides proactive fleet maintenance and services. 
• Cat dealers offer remanufacturing and rebuild options, reducing waste and minimising the need for raw materials, energy and water to produce new parts.
• Caterpillar’s use of expertise and new power technologies, including battery-electric and hydrogen prototypes, provides low carbon power solutions for equipment owners.

The company asserts that its enterprise strategy aims to support customers throughout the energy transition to a lower-carbon future.