Arrival of PV-E Crane draws global attention

The introduction of the world's first 100% unplugged electric crawler crane is making a big impression internationally. The scoop is for VolkerWessels this fall, but an impressive lineup is being worked on behind the scenes.

PVE Cranes & Services has over 20 years of experience in selling and renting crawler cranes. From its headquarters in Oosterhout and branches in Florida (USA), Dubai (UAE), Cairo (Egypt) and Muscat (Oman) one hundred of its own cranes are rented worldwide. To respond to market demand, enthusiastic use is made of practical knowledge to continuously expand and upgrade the crane fleet. This enables customers to work quickly and efficiently on every job. With the PV-E Crane, PVE Cranes & Services is responding to the growing demand for electric hoisting. After all, various Dutch contractors see this as the solution to the nitrogen problem.

LOS BATTERY PACK

"This turned out to be not so easy," says Orlando de Jonge, general manager of PV-E Crane BV. "From our knowledge of producing pile drivers, we started analyzing what an electric crane must meet. In this, 8 hours of operation without interim charging was one of the key features." Several parties were approached with an eye on the electric motor, engineering, battery solution and motor management. Urban Mobility Systems from Oss eventually became our partner for the complete electric drive system for our EC and ECT series. The batteries are interchangeable, so a second shift can be worked with full batteries if necessary, or they can be recharged elsewhere if there is no construction power available.

De Jonge adds: "From here we continued to build. Together with A-brands from the crawler crane industry, such as Rexroth, Avezaat, Hirschmann and Fuwa, we developed a fantastic product line with both lattice boom and telescopic boom. After electrification and various modifications, all models have been fully calculated by Eager.one to CE standards." To gauge market interest, all major construction companies in the Netherlands were approached. VolkerWessels subsequently decided to buy the first 160-ton PV-E Crane, with an option for two more. A 100% electric crane fits perfectly within the ambition to have a CO2-neutral fleet by 2026.

Starting this fall, the EC160 with 42-meter main boom and 43-meter luffing jib is deployable to achieve VolkerWessels' sustainable ambitions and those of clients. Developed by PV-E Crane, the 160-tonner can run for 8 hours without having to be plugged in. To this end, two interchangeable battery boxes of 130 kWh each are equipped with the latest battery technology. De Jonge: "That means no fire risk, rechargeable at any time and sustainable. The batteries are 100% recyclable because they contain no acids or heavy metals."

FULL GAMMA

PV-E Crane offers the emission-free crawler crane as an EC or ECT series. The telescopic boom version comes with lifting capacities of up to 65, 70, 80 and 120 tons, while the EC line with lattice boom will be available as an 80, 90, 100, 135 or 160-ton crane. A 250-ton lattice boom crane is still under construction. "PV-E Crane is unique in this regard by opting for an interchangeable 130 kWh battery box, which can be recharged in 3 hours with 63A power or an emission-free hydrazine generator. This maintains the practicality of a conventional crane, but quieter, cleaner and cheaper to operate," De Jonge reports in conclusion.