With the new Böcker AK 48e truck crane, electric operation on the building site has become a reality – powerful, quiet and with no direct exhaust emissions. The crane’s ability to perform continuous operation on battery power for a full working day represents a significant step forward, particularly for urban building sites.
During the construction of a large-scale logistics hall with three additional office floors, the AK 48e truck crane impressively demonstrated the advantages and performance of electric crane technology. It handled key transport tasks onto the 21-metre-high flat roof of the four-storey building. Initially, the AK 48e hoisted pallets weighing up to 400 kg, containing large-format skylights, onto the hall roof. These had to be positioned as far out onto the roof surface as possible to minimise the logistical workflow at height. Removal from the roof was also made considerably easier by the crane. Using the tower crane function, for example, empty pallets, metal buckets and a concrete mixer were quickly removed from the roof.
The AK 48e used on the construction site is mounted on a MAN chassis; variants on Mercedes, Volvo or Scania chassis are also available. The carrier is conventionally powered by an internal combustion engine to ensure reliable travel to the construction site, whilst crane operations on site are carried out purely electrically and, thanks to a high battery capacity, flexibly without the need for a power connection. With this concept, the AK 48e combines the advantages of electric operation with the mobility of tried-and-tested technology.
Equipped with a newly developed, highly efficient drive system, an electric winch and a 30 kWh battery, the electric crane is designed to operate for a full working day without a mains power connection. Its low energy consumption allows for up to 150 lifting operations in battery mode, or more than eight hours of average operating time. Furthermore, the crane recovers energy when lowering loads to further increase efficiency and operating time. Thanks to fast charging times, the battery can then be recharged from 20 per cent to 80 per cent in just one hour and 35 minutes. The crane can be charged flexibly either from a 230 V domestic socket, via a 400 V power supply or, in future, even from a wallbox.
The AK 48e also sets new standards in terms of performance. It impresses with high rope speeds of up to 60 m/min, payloads of up to 3 t (opt. 6 t) and boom lengths of up to 49 m (opt. 52 m) for use on industrial buildings and large high-rise blocks. At the logistics hall, the AK 48e, with its long range, not only helped to optimise site logistics but also sent a clear signal of the shift towards future-oriented solutions.
Find out more about the Böcker AK 48e truck crane here
