Danfoss Scotland, part of global hydraulics and electric powertrain systems supplier Danfoss Power Solutions, announced the results of its Dextreme Max system validation in a 30-tonne battery-electric excavator
Undertaken with a £4.29 million grant from the UK Government, Danfoss demonstrated that its Dextreme digital hydraulic architecture reduced excavator power consumption by 35 per cent across a representative duty cycle mix, corresponding to 53 per cent longer runtime on a single charge. The results confirm the potential of the Dextreme Max system to significantly increase energy efficiency and accelerate the electrification of large excavators.
Danfoss’ Dextreme Max system aims to cut excavator energy consumption by up to 50 per cent by reducing energy losses and recovering energy that would otherwise be wasted. The system’s integral component is the DDP1X0D, a Digital Displacement hydraulic pump/motor with multiple independently controlled outlets. The Dextreme Max system provides independent actuator supply, eliminates flow-sharing losses, and enables energy recovery from excavator motions such as boom lowering.
In 2023, Danfoss received a grant from the Red Diesel Replacement Phase 2 Competition, a program funded through the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero’s £1 billion Net Zero Innovation Portfolio, to develop and validate the Dextreme Max system. The program provided funding for projects developing low-carbon alternatives to red diesel for the construction, mining, and quarrying sectors. Danfoss used the funding to procure a battery-electric excavator and integrate its Dextreme Max system into the machine. The grant represented approximately 65 per cent of the eligible project costs, with Danfoss funding the remaining portion.
Danfoss selected a Develon DX300LC‑7 crawler excavator for the project. Originally diesel powered, the excavator was supplied in an electric configuration by Staad B.V., which replaced the engine with an electric drivetrain consisting of a Danfoss Editron EM-PMI375 permanent magnet synchronous motor, EC-C1200 inverter, and MC050 motor controller, plus three 140-kWh batteries.
Danfoss engineers replaced the excavator’s conventional swashplate hydraulic pump with the DDP180D pump/motor. The excavator’s four primary services — boom, arm, bucket, and swing — are supplied through ten individually controllable outlets on the pump. These outlets are dynamically grouped through a ganging block, a digital distributor that reallocates capacity to the service requiring it. A dedicated valve operating as a hydraulic H-bridge was developed and applied to the boom function to allow independent metering, providing anti-cavitation, pressure amplification, and energy recovery during overrunning motions. Finally, the control system architecture was developed to provide real-time control of the hydraulic system, electric powertrain, and auxiliary subsystems.
To compare system performance before and after conversion, multiple tests were carried out, including JCMAS air grading and JCMAS air dig and dump (equivalent to ISO/AWI TS 11152-2). Compared to the baseline electric excavator, the Dextreme Max system reduced battery energy use by 49.2 per cent in air grading and 31 per cent in air dig and dump, with negligible impact on cycle time. Assuming a duty cycle of 30 per cent grading and 70 per cent digging, Dextreme Max would reduce battery power consumption by 35 per cent without significantly impacting work rate. This would result in 53 per cent longer operating hours with the same battery capacity as the baseline machine, or similar runtime as the baseline with two battery packs instead of three.
“The results of this testing highlight the potential of digital hydraulic architectures to overcome the obstacles in heavy-duty machinery electrification. Electric excavators offer excellent responsiveness, smooth control, a quiet cab environment, and zero-emission operation. With Dextreme Max, they can also deliver the runtime, productivity, and total cost of ownership advantages required for wider adoption, thereby accelerating the decarbonisation of heavy-duty machinery,” said Alasdair Robertson, Senior Director, Digital Displacement, Danfoss Power Solutions. “We are extremely encouraged by these results, but there is more work to do. Further gains are possible, and we will continue optimizing the system to maximize the energy savings and value for our customers.”
Danfoss Dextreme systems offer an incremental approach to implementation through three levels: Swap, Flex, and Max. Dextreme Swap involves a simple pump replacement, offering improved system control and more efficient operation. Dextreme Flex introduces flexible allocation of the Digital Displacement pump outlets, reducing flow distribution losses and further improving efficiency. The Dextreme Swap and Flex systems are commercially available, and this project has advanced the path to commercialisation for Dextreme Max.
To learn more, visit the Dextreme systems webpage
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