Tadano Goes Electric With 100-Ton GR-1000XLL Evolt Rough-Terrain Crane Prototype

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The Tadano GR-1000XLL Evolt battery-electric prototype can lift up to 100 tons and work for up to nine hours on a battery charge, the manufacturer says. (Photo courtesy of Tadano.)

Tadano recently unveiled a prototype of what it calls the world’s first battery-electric rough-terrain crane. The GR-1000XLL Evolt can lift up to 100 tons (90.7 metric tons) and work for up to nine hours on a battery charge, the manufacturer says. The prototype was among six zero-emission machines Tadano deployed at the ConExpo-Con/Agg trade show in mid-March in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tadano plans to launch a commercial version of the GR-1000XLL Evolt in the U.S. and Canada in 2024.

“This crane will make an invaluable contribution to achieving our goal of reducing the CO2 emissions from our products by 35% by 2030,” says Tadano President and CEO Toshiaki Ujiie. The company has set a goal of reaching net zero in both its products and business operations by 2050. “With the GR-1000XXL Evolt as an important tech demo, we’ve taken a crucial step towards that goal.”

An Evolt-ing Development

The GR-1000XLL Evolt prototype is a 2-axle crane that relies on its 194-kilowatt (260-horsepower) electric motor as its travel drive as well as for all crane functions. Tadano says that after a 12.5-mile (20-kilometer) drive to the work site, the Evolt’s battery can still provide up to five hours of crane operation. The crane’s maximum speed is 11.2 mph (18 km/h). A regenerative braking feature recoups some of the energy expended during the trip.

The GR-1000XLL Evolt can fast charge in just two hours using a CCS Combo 1 connection, or charge normally in seven hours on a 240-VAC, 100-A, three-phase power source. On the jobsite, the crane can also work while plugged into local power with no limitations, Tadano says. Being fully electric, the Evolt is quiet enough to work at night and in sensitive areas, such as near hospitals. Because it produces no exhaust emissions, the crane can also work indoors in suitable venues.

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The GR-1000XLL Evolt prototype was among six zero-emission machines Tadano deployed at the ConExpo-Con/Agg trade show in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo courtesy of Tadano.)

The Tadano GR-1000XLL-4

Tadano says the Evolt prototype is based on its diesel-powered GR-1000XLL-4 rough-terrain crane, and offers the same 100-t lift capacity, crane operation speed, and vehicle dimensions. Both cranes are 49.8 feet (15.2 meters) in length, 10.9 ft (3.3 m) wide, and 12.48 ft (3.8 m) in height.

The conventional GR-1000XLL-4 has a Cummins diesel engine and a main boom length of 42 to 167.3 ft (12.8 to 51 m), which according to Tadano is the most in its capacity class. With a boom extension, the crane can reach a maximum lifting height of 224.1 ft (68.3 m) and a maximum radius of 190 ft (57.9 m). The GR-1000XLL-4 has all-wheel drive, all-wheel steering, and a gross vehicle mass (GVM) rating of 123,500 pounds (56,018 kilograms).

Source: Tadano