In May 2023, Komatsu Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Komatsu") launched an empirical experiment (PoC) on a medium-sized hydraulic excavator concept vehicle powered by hydrogen fuel cells.

In its medium-term business plan, Komatsu put forward the business objective of reducing CO ₂ emissions from production and product use by 50% (compared with 2010) by 2030, and proposed the challenge goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. In order to make contributions to customers' carbon neutrality, Komatsu has long been committed to providing users with diversified products, services and solutions that can help reduce environmental loads, such as hybrid hydraulic excavators and battery driven mini excavators, and has actively carried out relevant research and development work with the goal of providing products with various new power devices.

The concept vehicle for conducting empirical experiments this time is based on Komatsu's medium-sized hydraulic excavator, which is developed using a hydrogen fuel cell system, hydrogen storage tank, and Komatsu's independently developed core components and overall control technology. While achieving "zero emissions" and significantly reducing noise and vibration, it also has the same powerful excavation performance and high operability as fuel engine driven excavators.

Compared to small construction machinery that has already taken the lead in electrification, large and medium-sized construction machinery has higher requirements for high energy density power sources. Compared with batteries widely used in small construction machinery, hydrogen has a higher energy density and can complete the refueling of hydrogen fuel in a shorter time than battery charging, making it an effective option for power sources in medium and large construction machinery. The goal is to achieve mass production of large and medium-sized construction machinery for hydrogen fuel cells in the near future, and related work is accelerating.

Komatsu continuously takes new steps towards the realization of a futuristic site and strives to pass on a sustainable future to the next generation through the advantageous value proposed in the mid-term business plan "DANTOTSU Value - Together, to 'The Next' for sustainable growth". Editor/Xie Li