Dana Incorporated has been collaborating with Mecalac to develop a customized e-Drivetrain system for the new Mecalac e12 electric compact wheeled excavator, introduced earlier this year at Intermat in Paris.

With the proven Mecalac 12MTX as a base frame, this version is the first compact wheeled excavator powered entirely by electricity. Featuring Spicer 112 axles and a Spicer 367 shift-on-fly transmission, the two-motor Mecalac e12 wheeled excavator can deliver the range, performance, and compact size required to support modern urban construction sites.

As the European construction market embraces the trend toward zero-emission standards for small to mid-sized vehicles, our customers are demanding great strides in efficiency while also requiring reliable performance. Dana was able to adapt the 12MTX drivetrain to add electric drive capabilities within our existing vehicle architecture. With their technical expertise and open collaboration, we developed an optimal solution and accelerated the delivery of this vehicle to market.

—Jean-Baptiste Rousseau, technologies manager at Mecalac

The Mecalac e12 uses a 146 kWh LiFePO₄ battery pack, which provides an 8-hour “range”; the batteries can be charged in approximately seven hours.

Dana has a long history of developing drivetrain systems for hybrid and electric vehicle architectures. The company also offers patented battery and electronic cooling technologies, along with fuel-cell technology. In addition, Dana engineers had extensive experience with this particular application because the diesel-powered version of this vehicle also features Spicer drivetrain components.