Liebherr and Fortescue Repower R 9400 Excavator

Liebherr Mining and Fortescue have successfully converted an R 9400 excavator from a diesel to an electric powertrain. The repowered machine was commissioned at Fortescue’s Christmas Creek mine site in Western Australia.

This is the first time in Liebherr’s more than 40 years of working with electric excavators that the company has repowered one of its excavators from diesel to electric configuration during the standard service life of the machine. A hydrogen Offboard Power Unit (OPU) designed and developed by Fortescue will be used to power the newly converted R 9400 E and is currently undergoing site-based testing within Fortescue’s purpose-built zero emission testing area at Christmas Creek.

“Liebherr is delighted that Fortescue has chosen to collaborate with Liebherr in our joint efforts to accelerate the pathway to a mining future without fossil fuels. This repower project demonstrates that decarbonisation is also possible with Liebherr machines previously supplied with diesel engines. “ said Oliver Weiss, Executive Vice President of R&D, Engineering, and Manufacturing for Liebherr Mining.

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