Here's what clients ask for

It is both for sale and for rent, the all-electric mini-excavator from Barneveld-based new Dutch company Electric Special Technics (EST). Limach E18.1 has become the full designation of this first. The electric mini-excavator should be able to do a day's work without any problems. EST is also financially confident: "This is what clients are asking for."

Starting with a Volvo mini excavator, Rens de Bruijn, Bas Lieftink and Gert van de Zandschulp set to work to replace the internal combustion engine with an electric motor and a lithium iron phosphate battery pack. So here we are not talking about a 380-volt power cable connected to mains or generator, but a completely self-contained electric machine.

Experience already gained for hire
Six months of experience has now been gained with the first-built Limach through rental company Rent4All, which not coincidentally is located at the same address as EST in Barneveld. "The machine has been used in every conceivable way in earth and demolition work and we have not had any significant breakdowns or problems. That is why we now dare to take the step of marketing these machines," De Bruijn said. Reliability is important and so is the battery pack.

Sufficient for an ordinary working day
EST claims a Limach can be run for "almost" eight hours continuously. That should be enough for an ordinary work day. "One hour of work means one hour of recharging afterwards," is the new saying. Because the charging time is also eight hours, so that will be night work. About the expected lifetime of lithium-iron-phosphate battery pack, meanwhile, the developers are satisfied. After ten years of running, the battery pack would still be at 80 percent of its power, which is a good thing financially, because batteries are expensive and you then want to postpone replacement as long as possible.

Says developer Rens de Brijn, "The machine has been used in every conceivable way in earth and demolition work and we have had no significant breakdowns or problems."

Speaking of money
The purchase of the Limach is quite expensive. EST indicates that the electric mini excavator is about two and a half times more expensive than a comparable diesel-powered variant. "On the other hand, in 10,000 hours of operation, about 30,000 liters of fuel are saved," Rens de Bruijn calculates. Employee Bas Lieftink also points out the lower maintenance costs. Still, the new owner will have to do the math. Fortunately, the government is also doing its bit.

MIA/Vamil scheme
De Bruijn emphasizes, that the Limach machines fall under the favorable MIA/Vamil scheme. The MIA allows for an additional investment deduction of up to 36 percent of the investment amount. With the Vamil, 75 percent of the investment costs can be depreciated at a time determined by the buyer. Again, some good math is required, but the final picture already looks a lot more attractive. Then we come to perhaps the most important point, the client.

In a few years we don't know any better
The developers of the Limach are convinced, that their electric mini-excavator will fill a great need. And they may very well be right about that. Lieftink: "Emission-free and low-noise work is the future. This is what clients are asking for. For inner-city or indoor projects, electric running without emissions and noise is a godsend." In short, in a few years we won't know any better.  

Electric Special Technics (EST) is a new Dutch company and the first in our country to focus entirely on marketing electric mini-excavators with battery packs with the Limach. Initiators and owners of EST are Rens de Bruijn, of the trade company of the same name, with his employee Bas Lieftink and Gert van de Zandschulp of V.d. Zandschulp Grond- & Sloopwerken and Rent4All Machineverhuur. For the development of software, electronics and the conversion of the machines, EST cooperates with Gepro Electronics. Among other things, this company has cooperated in the development of smart plugs to charging stations for electric cars. At least three Limach machines have already been sold. A fourth is running in rental. EST says it is able to convert two machines every week.