18.11.2020

JCB launches electric telehandler

JCB has launched a totally new all electric six metre/2.5 tonne compact telehandler - the 525-60E - at a virtual press conference today.

The new 525-60E (505-20E in the US) has been completely redesigned although it shares major fabrications and external dimensions as the diesel powered version and is said to offer the same performance.
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The all new JCB 525-60E

The four wheel drive system uses new high efficiency axles, driven by a large inboard mounted electric motor connected to the driveline via a drop box. The hydraulics are powered by separate electric motor and a new low noise gear pump. The speed of function operation is not related to motor RPM – but purely by the joystick position.
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The new machine is silent and economical

The machine uses a 96v lithium-ion battery pack with an onboard charger that can recharge the machine overnight from a standard 230 volt 16 amp outlet, while a JCB Fast Charge remote three phase charger - good for all JCB ETech electric powered machines - can recharge the pack to 80 percent in 60 minutes or fully recharge from empty to full in 2.5 hours. The machine is also equipped with regenerative braking and hydraulics on boom lowering and retraction to top up the battery pack while working. The battery pack is also good for 5,000 full charges, which the company estimates as 10 years of typical workload. They are also good for temperatures from minus 20°C to plus 60°C.
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The JCB Fast Charge unit

The fully glazed cab is designed for bad weather with a 2.2kW heater, a heated operator’s suspension seat, heated front, rear and side screens and uses also features JCB’s patented Load Control System. The machine has been designed to deliver similar cycle times as the diesel telescopic, with no loss of performance. Deliveries are scheduled to begin towards the end of the first quarter next year.

The first company to order one of then new units is Manchester based Domis Construction. Managing director, Lee McCarren said: “As a forward thinking organisation we are striving to change the face of construction with modernisation, innovation and technological advances at the forefront. As soon as we saw the significant benefits this electric JCB machine could bring to our operations we wanted to secure the first in the region."

“In the type of high rise, city centre buildings we typically develop there is significant work underground in basements and in car parks. Traditionally we would need to fit expensive carbon filters onto our machines to operate in those areas. So this new machine is perfect."

The company also unveiled its second all electric industrial telehandler with its 35-22E Teletruk - a higher capacity version of the C30-19E launched last year. It features the same four metre lift height, but has a maximum capacity of 3.5 tonnes compared to three tonnes on the smaller unit and can manage 2.2 tonnes at the maximum two metre forward reach compared to 1.9 tonnes on the C30-90E. All other specifications are the same except for the weight of the 35-22E which is 370kg heavier.
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The 35-22E industrial telehandler

Vertikal Comment

The 525-60E looks like a great little machine, unlike some models already on the market, JCB has completely revamped the running gear on this new machine from top to toe, which is likely to make it even more efficient and practical.

We are already hearing that the electric telehandlers already in use, such as the Faresin All Electric, are proving to be better and far more popular than users had expected. This model will raise the game still further. JCB has a winner here and given the limited production capacity of some competitors expect to see a lot of these machines popping up on inner city job sites in 2021.

In a recent issue of Cranes & Access we reviewed the latest telehandlers to hit the market in 2020 as well as looked at the various Stage V/all-electric models now available. The full feature can be read below: