Liebherr Showcases Hydrogen Powered Wheel Loader

At last week’s 75th anniversary event held in Germany invited members of the press were shown the new L 566 H prototype hydrogen powered wheeled loading shovel.

The machine which is the world’s first large wheeled loader fitted with a hydrogen combustion engine, had previously been unveiled earlier this year at another trade event hosted at the Liebherr plant in Bischofshofen, Salzburg, Austria.

The prototype machine has been undergoing field trials as part of a two-year test deployment with Liebherr customer STRABAG who have been using the machine in a real day-to-day working environment at their Gratkorn quarry facility

It is predicted that the hydrogen powered machine should save up to 100-tonnes of CO2 each year, corresponding to about 37,500 litres of diesel.

The hydrogen engines are manufactured by the Liebherr components division’s own engine plant in Bulle, Switzerland.

These engines will not only make it possible to emit zero greenhouse gases and almost no nitrogen oxides, but will also offer excellent efficiency.

“The technology also enables large vehicles that are difficult to electrify due to their high energy demand to be operated without CO2,” explains Dr.-Ing. Herbert Pfab, Technical Director of Liebherr-Werk Bischofshofen GmbH.

I have no doubt this machine will more than likely be making an appearance on the mighty Liebherr stand at Bauma, in Munich next year, and who knows what other surprises they will be showing us there too!