Thursday 9 July 2020

‘World’s first electric digger’ wins top distinction for UK engineering innovation

The 'world's first electric digger' has received this year's £50,000 MacRobert Award for UK engineering innovation.

The Royal Academy of Engineering gave the win to the JCB excavator, which has zero exhaust emissions and very low noise levels.

The company's current fleet is estimated to have saved the equivalent of 15,100kg in carbon dioxide emissions across more than 5.500 hours of work.

It says if the digger is used across the global construction sector, which makes up 39% of all carbon dioxide emissions, these savings could reach billions of tonnes.

Professor Sir Richard Friend FREng FRS, Chair of the Royal Academy of Engineering MacRobert Award judging panel, said: “JCB’s electric digger is a huge engineering achievement. It has the power to be the catalyst for change in an industry that is responsible for around 10% of all of the UK’s carbon emissions."

JCB Chairman Lord Bamford said: "JCB’s electric mini excavator will contribute to a zero-carbon future and help make the world more sustainable. It’s a huge honour for our contribution to be recognised in this way."