Komatsu PC33E-6 electric mini excavator goes to work in Stavanger
Rental.one’s Komatsu PC33E-6 electric mini excavator is proving how battery-powered construction equipment can fit into everyday urban groundworks, with Norwegian contractor Landskaps Entreprenørene AS putting the three-tonne machine to work in central Stavanger.
Awesome Earthmovers caught up with the PC33E-6 during a visit to Norway, where it was being used on the construction of a new entrance to a modern development in the country’s fourth-largest city.
Supplied on long-term hire by Rental.one, the zero-emission, low-noise mini excavator is being used for tasks including excavation and moving materials around the site.
Electric construction equipment for urban groundworks
Landskaps Entreprenørene carries out groundworks including digging, drainage, site excavation and road construction for projects ranging from sports facilities and town squares to other public and private outdoor spaces.
The company has more than 100 employees and places a strong emphasis on environmental performance. As an Environmental Lighthouse certified business, reducing emissions from its equipment is a natural part of that approach.
That makes the Komatsu PC33E-6 particularly well suited to the type of work we saw in Stavanger.
Its compact dimensions allow it to operate where larger excavators would be impractical, while its electric powertrain makes it particularly useful in built-up areas where exhaust emissions and machine noise are important considerations.
Rental.one seller Vidar Skarås was also on site during our visit.
“The Komatsu PC33E-6 is ideal for working in built-up areas and outside of standard daytime hours because of its quiet and emission-free operation,” he explained.
The project also places an emphasis on reusing materials, including stone and concrete recovered from the site.
Komatsu PC33E-6 joins Rental.one’s 4,000-machine fleet
The PC33E-6 has joined Rental.one’s growing fleet of around 4,000 pieces of equipment, including more than 250 excavators of varying operating weights, 50 wheel loaders and 35 dump trucks.
Komatsu is one of the rental company’s most important equipment brands, supported in Norway by long-standing dealer Hesselberg.
For Rental.one, adding electric machines is not simply about replacing diesel equipment. Machines such as the PC33E-6 can also help the company meet the increasingly strict environmental requirements being placed on construction projects in Norwegian cities.
That potentially opens up applications where low noise and zero local exhaust emissions are becoming important parts of the equipment selection process.
Battery runtime and fast charging
At the heart of the PC33E-6 is a large-capacity lithium-ion battery system paired with an electric powertrain.
On this application, the machine can work through a full shift before requiring a recharge. According to Vidar, a complete charge takes around two hours, allowing charging to be carried out overnight or topped up during periods when the excavator would otherwise be standing.
The battery pack also serves another purpose by acting as a counterweight. According to the original machine specification, this can increase lifting capacity by up to 30% compared with the PC33MR-5.
Rental.one says feedback since adding the machine to its fleet has been positive, with operators finding its performance comparable with the diesel-powered alternative.
Designed around the operator
Moving from diesel to electric has not resulted in an unfamiliar operating environment.
The PC33E-6 features an air-suspended seat and adjustable proportional controls for precise attachment operation, while operators can select from eight working modes depending on the task and load.
A 3.5-inch LCD monitor provides machine information, with a separate rear-view monitor helping visibility around the rear of the excavator.
The main display has also been adapted for the electric powertrain, providing information including battery charge, current power consumption and other energy-related operating data.
There are maintenance differences too. The air-cooled electric motor removes the need for some of the coolant-related checks associated with conventional combustion-engine equipment and eliminates concerns about engine oil or coolant leaks from the electric drive system.
Where electric mini excavators make sense
Our visit to Stavanger highlighted the type of environment in which electric compact equipment could increasingly earn its place.
The short-tail Komatsu PC33E-6 combines compact dimensions with low operating noise and zero local exhaust emissions, making it particularly relevant to contractors working around city centres, public spaces and other sensitive locations.
For Rental.one, machines like this also give customers such as Landskaps Entreprenørene another way of meeting increasingly demanding environmental requirements without moving away from the type of compact excavator they already use every day.
Read the full Awesome Earthmovers feature
This article is based on a feature originally published in Issue 30 of Awesome Earthmovers. Read the complete feature, including the full story and original photography, in the digital magazine.
