Hitachi unveils world's first diesel-electric hybrid construction machine

Diesel Fuel News, March 3, 2003

According to a report from Nikkei news service, Hitachi's hybrid wheel loader--to be commercialized within three years--has 40% more fuel efficiency than conventional models. When the machine decelerates, heat is converted to power for recharging a lithium-ion battery, supplying power when the equipment accelerates or climbs an incline.

It cuts both particulate and NOx emissions and makes less noise, the report said.