The 50-t Liebherr LTC 1050-3.1 compact crane is now available with an electric motor (72 kW), in addition to its six-cylinder engine. The prototype of this new electric model is currently undergoing testing and Liebherr plans to deliver the first units in 2023.

Dr Ulrich Hamme, technical director at Liebherr-Werk Ehingen GmbH, said, "We want to be able to offer our customers full crane performance even with the alternative electric power unit. The LTC 1050-3.1 still has a conventional internal combustion engine, powered by diesel or HVO (hydrogenated vegetable oil), for driving on roads and for crane operations. However, as an alternative it also has an electric power unit for crane operations so that it generates ‘zero emissions’."

"This means that all the familiar usage properties of the crane will be retained, regardless of whether the crane operations are powered by its zero-emission electric motor or its internal combustion engine."

The electric model of the LTC 1050-3.1 "delivers the best possible combination of green credentials, customer benefits and efficiency," highlighted Liebherr. On the road and off-road, the crane has a conventional, low emissions internal combustion engine which complies with the Stage V emission standards and develops 243 kW. The engine can be fuelled with HVO without restrictions, helping to reduce its CO2 emissions by up to 90% compared to fuelling it with diesel. 

Either the engine or the electric motor can be selected in crane mode depending on the job conditions. The latter reduces both air and noise emissions to a minimum, making the machine suitable for use in noise-sensitive or ‘zero-emission’ areas.

According to Liebherr, only the electric motor and a distributor gear as well as the required control equipment need to be added to the existing LTC 1050-3.1 to transform it into an electric version. Such a simple solution enables the operator to switch flexibly between diesel-hydraulic power and electro-hydraulic power.

The electric motor uses the existing hydraulic pump, which is mounted on the powershift transmission. The distributor gear is located between the crane pump and the powershift transmission.

Site current at 125 A is required to achieve full performance, but the crane also works well with a 63 A supply, said Liebherr. Alternatively, the crane can be operated using an external battery pack if the site does not have the appropriate electrical infrastructure.

Other features for the electric version of the LTC 1050-3.1 include a 36-m Telematik telescopic boom, RemoteDrive option for remote-controlled driving, and height-adjustable elevating cab.