Just because your vehicle weighs 25 tonnes and demolishes hills and forests doesn’t mean it can’t be environmentally responsible. The Caterpillar D7E (warning Flash website) is a diesel-electric “hybrid” bulldozer. Diesel-electric heavy machinery is pretty much de rigueur for those huge mining dump trucks and large locomotives, however it is new for bulldozers.

Caterpillar claim the D7E is 25% more efficient at moving material than the equivalent D7R. The hybrid design also means that it does away with the driveshaft, a bunch of clutches and all those stupid engine belts that need replacing. Less parts mean less transfer losses and less friction. The engine is slightly smaller than the equivalent D7R so the savings turn out to be about 24 L of fuel/hour over 8 hours and a 10% increase in efficiency. The design of the D7E has also been streamlined so that it can be rebuilt and reconditioned more easily, effectively recycling the whole thing.

The D7E is designed to consume fewer resources during its working life. That helps your business cut costs…and it helps protect the environment while preserving valuable resources for future generations.

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