
When one thinks of hybrids, cars like the Toyota Prius come to mind. There’s no reason though green vehicle technology like this needs to be limited to passenger cars or commercial vehicles like moving trucks. It is also turning up in the construction industry, in part via the unveiling in the last week of a new hybrid excavator from Caterpillar.
Caterpillar said its new Cat 336E H is a derivative of the company’s 336E large hydraulic excavator, which is described as a “recognized industry-leading workhorse” by its manufacturer. The new hybrid version is the company’s first to make use of what it calls “a novel hydraulic hybrid technology developed internally” that reportedly uses 25 percent less fuel compared to its regular sibling. Torque News noted of this machine that it has a drive train that “is a diesel-electric design but Caterpillar is not describing the electrical storage capacity nor power of the electric motor.” Keep reading →




Jared Anderson
Conway Irwin
Peter Gardett