The cranes follow the company’s LB 16 electric drill rig, introduced at the Bauma trade show in 2019. As with the 265-kilowatt (355 horsepower) electric-motor LB 16, Liebherr says a design imperative with the electric-drive cranes was that there would be no performance depreciation between them and their diesel cousins.

Another key: that each machine is capable of putting in a full day’s work on one charge. On the drill, that meant a 10-hour shift; the cranes are designed to accomplish four hours of lifting operation on one charge.

The cranes can be recharged on a conventional jobsite electric supply in 4.5 hours; a 2.5-hour rapid charging option is also available. After charging, the cranes can be operated without a cable. The charging port is located in the undercarriage area, giving it ground-level access.

Liebherr says the crane batteries supply sufficient energy for the erection of the main boom with luffing jib and for traveling over a distance of about 650 meters (2,132 feet).