Perkins Engines, an international company known for its diesel engines, is exploring a range of new powertrain technologies, and several of these are on display at the bauma 2025 trade fair in Munich.

New products being highlighted at the show include fuel-flexible internal combustion engines, hybrid power solutions, alternative-fuel power systems, electrification offerings, digital service, and lifecycle solutions.

One particularly interesting new product: a battery-electric power unit, which is making its debut at bauma as a technical demonstrator in a McElroy TracStar 900i pipe fusion machine. This plug-and-play power unit is designed to enable off-highway OEMs to seamlessly transition from diesel to battery-electric powertrains.

“We’re actively helping customers navigate the shift in power system requirement, with a range of advanced power systems, including electric, diesel-electric and alternative-fuel-compatible engines,” says Jaz Gill, VP of Global Sales, Marketing, Service and Parts. “The battery-electric power unit can be dropped into a machine to replace a diesel engine. The system consists of a Perkins battery along with inverters, motors and on-board chargers—all packaged into a compact drop-in system to support a seamless transition from diesel to electric.”

The new power unit has been put to the test in a McElroy TracStar 900i pipe fusion machine as a commercial demonstrator—the electric power unit replaces a 3.6-litre 904 Series diesel engine. It fits within the same chassis space and has the same mechanical connection and electrical interface points as the diesel engine it replaces.