Komatsu's innovative and highly fuel efficient Hybrid Excavator has been awarded by two prestigious Australian organisations.
On July 20, the Komatsu Hybrid excavator was recognised with a Good Design™ accolade at the 2012 Australian International Design Awards held in Sydney.
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Komatsu was one of 200 companies judged against a common set of criteria, based around innovation, form, function, quality, safety and sustainability.
The Australian International Design Awards is one of Australia's oldest and most prestigious design awards. With the aim to raise awareness of the value of good design in today's marketplace and encourage greater demand for well-designed and sustainable products.
The Komatsu Team involved in the successful launch of the Hybrid excavator in Australia attended this important event.
The overall winner for this year's Australian International Design Award was James Cameron's "Deep Sea Challenger", a single-occupant research submersible which earlier in the year descended to one of the deepest parts of the earth's oceans.
On July 31, Komatsu received an Australian Business Award for Product Innovation for the research and development of its Hybrid excavator. The Australian Business Award for Product Innovation recognises products that introduce a new idea, method, technology, process or application of commercial significance and/or benefit to the marketplace.
Komatsu's Hybrid excavator, launched in Australia in May 2011, is the world's first commercially viable Hybrid earthmoving machine and the most environmentally sustainable machine in its class, consuming up to 40% less fuel than conventional excavators.
It combines an internal combustion engine with a generator and electric motors offering equivalent performance in breakout force and operating speed to a conventional Komatsu excavator and is operated in exactly the same manner.
Following years of research by Komatsu designers and engineers, the Hybrid was developed with a focus on safety, information technology, innovation, environmental conservation and corporate social responsibility. Fuel-saving features include regeneration of electrical power when slewing, engine assist for power on demand, ultra low engine idle, a smaller engine and hybrid control system.
Its benefits include reduced fuel consumption and CO2 emissions while delivering comparable performance, operability and maintenance to conventional excavators.
Komatsu is strongly committed to the environment, establishing the Komatsu Earth Environment Charter in 1992, and updating and further developing it ever since.
The company is committed to developing new and innovative products that incorporate technology to improve performance and efficiency, while reducing environmental impact.
In developing the Hybrid excavator, consideration was given to global environmental concerns, demand on fossil fuel resources and rising crude oil prices.
With more than 90% of CO2 emissions of construction machinery generated by fuel usage during machine operation, the main aim in the development of the hybrid excavator was to reduce fuel consumption. Reduced fuel consumption leads to reduced greenhouse gas emissions and also results in lower operating costs for the end user.
Since its release in Australia, Komatsu Hybrid excavators have gone to work for multiple contractors throughout Australia all of whom are reporting significant savings in fuel consumption.