DNL Machines finds nineteen buyers for electric Sany in no time

DNL Machines took care of the European presentation of the electrically driven Sany SY215E crawler excavator at the Bouw & Infra Park in Harderwijk on June 11 and 12. That the Dutch importer received this honor had everything to do with the fact that nineteen machines have already been sold in just a few months.

The official introduction of the brand new SY215E attracted several hundred interested parties to Congress Center B&I to learn more about this fully electric excavator and see the 23-tonner in action for the first time. That Dutch rental companies and contractors in construction or infrastructure would immediately warm to this piece of Chinese innovation also surprised DNL Machines director Diederik van Hattem. "We became an importer of Sany in late 2020 and still have to fight the preconceptions that prevail every day. By now I have heard all the clichés, such as 'Sany stands for ga-nie' or 'Chinese you must eat.' Try it yourself, I always say. Then you can really judge. I understand that a machinist is not eager to get into a Chinese product, but Sany can easily compete with top brands. The machines are of very high quality and there is also nothing to complain about in terms of comfort and operation."

Purely A-quality

By now, more than three hundred Sany machines are running in our country, and Diederik is proud that the reliability is an important reason for many customers to choose this brand again. "Of course, sometimes something goes wrong or breaks down, you're bound to have that. However, major repairs do not occur. We have never had to replace an engine, valve block or drive. That does say something about the solidity." Sany therefore only assembles A-quality components, such as Cummins, Deutz or Yanmar engines and Bosch-Rexroth or Kawasaki hydraulics. The Chinese manufacturer has a wide range, covering 80% of equipment deployments. With 57 factories, four R&D centers, 55,000 employees and over 400 dealers in more than 180 countries, Sany says it has become the world's second-largest construction equipment manufacturer, with top positions in the categories of excavators, crawler cranes and - after its acquisition of Putzmeister - concrete pumps.

In 2020, the manufacturer managed to capture the No. 1 position of worldwide sold excavators for the first time. A year later there were no fewer than 100,000. In crawler cranes, which are distributed in the Benelux through Sany Cranes.Services from Sassenheim, Sany also scores high marks and is the global market leader. More than four in ten cranes sold outside China are of this brand. This is by no means a reason to sit back with satisfaction. Sany wants to grow to a turnover of $42 billion within five years. By comparison, in 2020 the group still realized 15 billion in sales. To grow into the undisputed market leader in the future, the R&D division must increase to 30,000 engineers and nearly $12.5 billion will be invested in Greenfield projects for new energy and intelligent technology. For the next few years, then, the focus is on digitization and automation, including the further development of autonomous machines.

Dedicated innovation

"The Netherlands is a pioneering country, so it is not surprising that the SY215E as Sany's electric flagship is making its European debut here of all places," proclaims Mr. Gary Jia, Managing Director of Sany Benelux BV. "Our commitment to innovation drives our market growth." From Sany's New Energy Technology Committee, 275 patents were obtained last year alone and more than 130 energy efficient products were launched, including the world's first electric rotary drilling rig and a hydrogen fuel cell truck. Over 2023, nearly $18 million in revenue was realized from hydrogen-powered products and just under $435 million from electric machines. In addition to emission-free trucks and cranes, the brand also offers an electric dump truck, concrete mixer, reachstacker and 19-ton wheel loader (SW956E). In the excavator field, we were already familiar with the 1.9-ton mini excavator SY19E, and now a medium-sized model is being added in the form of the SY215E.

Diederik "warns" those present that there is much more to come, all available ex-factory with CE and warranty. "This year we can still expect the SY19E with cab, the 3.5-ton SY35E and the SW405E wheel loader. That's basically an SW956E, but by European and North American standards. The SY95E will follow in 2025, and the SY155E and the SY155WE are scheduled for 2026." The latter is an electric mobile excavator developed in two years. That says something about the speed with which the Chinese machine builder is pushing ahead when it comes to electrification. The goal here is not only to reduce emissions, but also to significantly reduce operating costs over its entire service life. "The all-electric driven hydraulic system is 7% more efficient than a diesel version. In addition, maintenance costs are up to 58% lower due to the absence of engine oil and an oil filter, for example."

Competitive price

In addition to the running costs, the asking price is also interesting. At 315,000 euros, this is admittedly quite a bit higher than for a diesel version, but it is extremely competitive compared to other electric machines in this weight class. This helped to ensure that no fewer than nineteen SY215Es were able to find a Dutch buyer in a short time, some of which ordered two immediately. During the launch, all the pioneers were put in the spotlight: Baggerbedrijf Midden Nederland, Blokland, CVH Rental, Den Ouden Groep, Everts GWW, FPH Ploegmakers, Fuhler, GKB Groep, Groene Bouwkracht, Haarsma Groep, M. Heezen, Van Beers Hoogeloon, Van den Herik Sliedrecht and Veldt Groep Infra. Why was Sany chosen? "We think 422 kWh of battery capacity will go a long way," Martijn van Beers replied. Mark Haazelager (Groene Bouwkracht) adds: "Those who want to pioneer must also dare to invest. The fact that this is a factory machine with a 5-year warranty was the deciding factor for us."

Quick deciders can run with their emission-free crawler excavator before the end of this year. DNL Machines expects to build four or five a month and is now scheduling machines for delivery in December. "The SY215E is pretty complete ex-factory and to European specifications," Diederik knows. "That means an LC undercarriage with 900 mm wide triple grouser tracks, load holding valves on the lift and articulating cylinders and two additional 400 and 70 l/min circuits with proportional control plus leak line. The cab is spacious and comfortable, including an air-sprung and heated seat, 10-inch iPad-like monitor and integrated camera system with images to the left, right or behind the machine. Standard equipment also includes an overpressure cab, protective grilles for windshield and skylight, LED work lights, and climate control with seven vents. So it's a machine you can get started with in no time."

Powerful hydraulics

Sany opted for a powerful hydraulic system consisting of two Kawasaki variable piston pumps with an output of 222 l/min each. The maximum working pressure is 343 bar, with Power Boost up to 373 bar. The electric motor delivers net 150 kW and peaks at 250 kW. Rated torque is 800 Nm at 1,790 rpm and continues to a maximum of 1,500 Nm. By far the most expensive part of an electric excavator is the battery pack, which comes from global market leader CATL, which supplies car brands such as Tesla, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota, Honda and Kia. Inside the 23-ton SY215E is an LPF battery with a capacity of 422 kWh, neatly concealed in the superstructure. "That's enough to run continuously for 6 to 10 hours in heavy to medium-duty operations," Diederik reckons to us. The machine has two CCS2 connections (for AC and DC charging) and is fully recharged at a double fast charger at up to 200 kW/hour in 2 hours. 

Sany has so much confidence in its own products that the manufacturer provides a 5-year/6,000-hour warranty on the battery pack and a 5-year/10,000-hour warranty on other components. DNL Machines & Equipment guarantees expert advice, service and parts supply from Haastrecht. Not only for Sany, but also for the brands Deutz-Fahr, Dezeure, Pöttinger and MB Crusher. Diederik: "Our aim is to supply machines at a favorable cost per hour. At first you will not end up with the most well-known brands, but it is up to us to show the market that things can really be different. Not for nothing is our motto: 'Do more.' We like to go the extra mile for our customers and challenge ourselves to exceed expectations every time. With brands like Sany and Deutz-Fahr, that promise can also be fulfilled. The SY215E is a perfect example of that. It is an innovative machine that is versatile and efficient, making it a worthwhile choice."