Focus battery

In recent years, industry editorials have always been unable to get around the keyword of "great changes not seen in a century". The so-called "change of The Times" means that human society has entered another period of unprecedented innovation. Among them, the technological breakthroughs and applications in the field of new energy are particularly significant.

On November 24, BYD's 6 millionth new energy vehicle rolled off the production line at its Zhengzhou factory. Byd from the "5 million" to the "6 million" only took more than 3 months; In the field of heavy trucks, Sany electric heavy trucks has just won the award of "the first long operating mileage new energy tractor in 2023"; In the field of construction machinery, electric mechanical products are blooming, and a revolution in the electrification of new energy machinery is starting...

The development and application of new energy technologies are gradually affecting the global economic pattern, accelerating the gradual reshaping of global industrial supply chains and value chains. According to the China Construction Machinery Industry Association, under the background of policy promotion and environmental pressure, the electrification penetration rate of construction machinery is expected to exceed 30% in 2025. A new energy battery dispute on construction machinery is quietly evolving. If the Iron Man such as construction machinery is also driven by electricity, then this transformation of power will affect the pattern of the industry.

Construction machinery new energy "source" contention

The construction machinery industry in 2023 is in the cycle adjustment stage, but this does not affect the layout of major host companies in the field of new energy. Let's take a look at the famous construction machinery enterprises at home and abroad.

Since the beginning of 2022, foreign brands have generated a number of mergers and acquisitions in the field of new energy batteries.

On November 20, Komatsu announced that it will acquire American Battery Solutions, Inc. (ABS Corporation), a U.S. battery manufacturer that develops heavy-duty/industrial lithium battery packs for commercial vehicles, buses, and on-road and off-road vehicles.

On November 10, Volvo Group acquired the Proterra Power Battery and powertrain business line for $210 million through auction bidding, including the Proterra California battery module and battery pack research and development center and the South Carolina assembly plant.

In August, John Deere announced plans to build a plant in North Carolina to manufacture Kreisel battery packs and chargers, with production expected to begin in 2025. Deere had previously acquired a majority stake in Kreisel Electric Kreisel, an Austrian developer of immersion cooled high-density battery technology, in February 2022.

In January, Caterpillar announced an investment in Lithos Energy, a SAN Rafael, Calif.-based designer and manufacturer of seismic battery solutions for off-road and Marine applications.

Back in April 2022, Yanmar acquired a majority stake in ELEO Technologies, a Dutch developer of advanced modular battery technology...

Different from the foreign capital layout mode based on acquisition, the major domestic Omanufacturers mostly use the mode of self-built production and cooperation with battery manufacturers, and continue to accelerate the launch of new energy machinery products.

● Xugong Group signed a cooperation agreement with BYD's power battery subsidiary Ferdi Battery in November 2022, and plans to build a new power battery factory in Xuzhou Economic Development Zone. On October 17 this year, Xugong New Energy held a press conference for the first power battery products.

● Sany Group signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Ningde Times in 2020, and put into operation the country's first electric heavy truck trunk line in February 2022. In August 2022, Sany Group established lithium Energy Company. Up to now, Sany Heavy Industry has owned subsidiaries related to electrification business such as Sany Lithium Energy, Sany Red Elephant, and Sany Kinetic Energy replacement.

● In September 2022, Liugong and Ningde announced that the two sides reached a 10-year strategic cooperation framework agreement to jointly develop the field of electrification.

● Famous construction machinery companies such as Zoomlion and Sanhe Intelligent are also accelerating the layout of electric products and new energy batteries in their own way. It is reported that as of June 2023, Zoomlion has 153 types of new energy products on the market, covering seven categories such as concrete pump trucks, concrete mixing trucks, engineering cranes, aerial work platforms, mining cards, forklifts, and emergency fire robots.

The new energy heavy truck has entered the "qualifying race".

Compared with the "whole army ready to go" of new energy construction machinery, the new energy heavy truck industry has taken a step ahead. Data show that in 2021, China's annual cumulative heavy truck sales of 1.395 million, of which, new energy heavy truck sales of more than 10,000 units, an increase of 300%, but the new energy heavy truck penetration rate is still less than 1%; From January to November 2022, 19,312 new energy heavy trucks were sold, a year-on-year increase of 157.91%; In 2022, sales are expected to exceed 22,000 units, an increase of 120%.

Obviously, the layout of new energy heavy truck track has become popular for a time. Sany heavy truck, Xugong heavy truck, FAW Jiefang, Yutong Group, Hanma Technology, BYD and other new enterprises have been gearing up to accelerate the expansion.

From heavy transportation to construction machinery, the age of electrification has become an unshakable trend.

Electrification of "sliced" construction machinery

The battery dispute is only a "slice" of the electrification of construction machinery, and domestic and foreign brands of construction machinery have rushed to the electric circuit, which is used as a starting point for transformation and upgrading. However, we also have to see that in addition to the current road machinery vehicles, aerial work equipment and other limited branches, the popularity of most of the branches of construction machinery is not high. According to statistics, the current electrification penetration rate of construction machinery is less than 1%.

I think there are three reasons for this. First, there is a gap in the emerging supply chain due to the technological blockade and global situation. Second, subject to the high cost and endurance of the battery, it can not meet the needs of construction machinery users for high-load, full-time, cost-effective construction. Third, users' recognition of new energy equipment lags behind, and they hold a wait-and-see attitude toward the performance of related products and second-hand residual values.

For example, the same as the loader operation, power plants, ports and other light load intermittent working conditions, electric loaders have unique advantages, but in the harsh environment of the mine quarry, the battery life is only 6-8 hours of Denso is not applicable. For the end users who pursue economic benefits, the trend is not worth all difficulties, and the right talent.

Of course, with the advancement of battery technology (such as semi-solid lithium battery), battery standardization, and power change technology, with the improvement of basic supporting, superposition business model, the industry generally believes that the electrification of construction machinery will usher in rapid development.

As an important construction machinery exhibition in the Asia-Pacific region, at bauma CHINA in 2024, we may not only see leading electrification products, but also witness new business models and a large number of emerging electrification supporting enterprises. And user friends are generally concerned about the crux of the problem, may be able to find a reasonable solution!

Once in a hundred years, it will be done

All along, major breakthroughs in science and technology and the development and growth of related industries have been the driving force for the great liberation of human productive forces. Around the world, changes unseen in a century are accelerating. In the context of "dual carbon", the development of electrification and intelligence has become the key to promote the transformation and upgrading of the industry. The electrification track of construction machinery has been rolled out, which is bound to have a profound impact on the national and even the global economy.

The tide rider creates The Times, the cultivator conforms to The Times, and the maintenance is bound by The Times. Those trends and conjectures about new energy for construction machinery will be confirmed one by one at the bauma CHINA 2024 exhibition, and after peeling the cocoon, we will find our own development and direction. Therefore, let's go to this industry event to witness the arrival of the electrification era of construction machinery with the promise of new energy!