LiuGong’s R&D facilities are further reinforcing the OEM’s market lead for the introduction of a wide range of electric equipment
Australian distributor of LiuGong equipment, McIntosh Distribution, recently visited the OEM’s Global Research and Development Centre in southern China.
Based in Liuzhou, within the Guangxi region, the site left a lasting impression on McIntosh Distribution general manager Digby Moullin
“The sheer scale of the facilities is highly impressive and the level of automation and speed in which equipment is manufactured due to the automated assembly lines feeding from the sides, above and below is world class,” he says.
Moullin adds the technical processes and systems operating at the facility were also amazing.
“LiuGong’s research and development work is quite incredible. They run every test imaginable, from acoustics through to dirt, dust and water ingress, plus stress testing of steel items, thermally stressing components and assessing electrical circuit durability,” he says.
Having seen the facility up close and in person, Moullin says it further reinforced his belief that LiuGong is well placed to have a significant impact across numerous Australian industries with its electric equipment line-up.
“LiuGong has been at the forefront of battery electric machines for over 15 years and has amassed over 11 million hours on BEV products around the world,” he says.
“It now has a very broad range of equipment, and we have seen first-hand that LiuGong has an extensive product development road map to further complement its existing range.”
As one of the first OEMs to identify the potential of battery electric vehicle (BEV) technology, LiuGong has since launched more than 90 products, offering solutions for almost every application and segment, including mining machinery, industrial and port equipment, agricultural machinery and various other products.
It has 11 electric product lines, including loaders, excavators, mining trucks, aerial work platforms, industrial vehicles and agricultural equipment.
Wheel loaders were the first electric machine to be released by LiuGong in 2018 and there are now more than 6,000 operating globally through Asia-Pacific, Europe, North America and Latin America.
The first green loaders delivered energy savings of around 20 per cent thanks to the optimised electric drive, hydraulic and transmission systems, whilst variable hydraulic and energy recovery systems added a further 15–20 per cent energy boost.
These machines have already helped to save hundreds of thousands of tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions, LiuGong says.
Moullin says the potential for LiuGong’s wide range of commercially available equipment in Australia is enormous, with several key factors set to drive its adoption.
“The upfront capital cost of the machines is invariably lower than most competitors’ equivalent diesel options,” he says.
“The fact they are electric means they are more responsive; the absence of any engine noise and diesel fumes makes them ideal for indoor and night-time applications, and the operational costs are significantly cheaper than diesel machines.”
Organisations looking to decarbonise have typically been some of the early users of LiuGong’s electric machines in Australia, Moullin says, however the favourable economic and operational benefits is now increasing the adoption of the BEV technology across a range of industries.
“BEV machines create a fraction of the CO2 emissions from diesel machines, but the cost savings also are now becoming just as attractive,” he says.
“The operational cost savings are significant. Based on a 20-tonne operating weight loader being used for 2,000 hours per annum, the savings are upward of $50,000pa.
“The transition to electric machines in Australia is progressing and once industry realises the full range of equipment now commercially available and its significant benefits, the speed of the transition will increase exponentially.”
For more information on LiuGong’s BEV technology, visit liugongaustralia.com.au
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