to introduce the most fuel-efficient
machine. And when you look at these
big loaders, that’s really what the
customers are all about — better fuel
consumption. Especially given where
diesel prices are right now.”
The hybrid-electric drive systems for
the two new Deere loaders are differ-
ent. The 944K is powered by a 13. 5 L
John Deere Power Systems diesel,
which drives a hydraulic pump drive
built by Deere’s Coffeyville, Kan.-based
Funk powertrain components group.
The hydraulic pump drive powers the attachments traditionally via
hydraulic pumps and motors, but also
drives two generators, which power
electric motors that drive the wheels.
Saying it was too far out from the
actual product launch of the 944K,
Deere would not reveal the output
size or manufacturer of the two generators providing the propulsion power.
On its way to the electric motors at
the wheels, the electric power passes
through a Phoenix-built electrical sub-system — basically an inverter that
converts the ac power generated to
dc — which then goes through a
large dc bus, before another Phoenix
inverter converts the dc power back to
ac that powers the wheel motors.
The 644K, on the other hand, has
a Funk-developed three-speed transmission mounted amidships on the
loader, which is driven by an electric
motor. Before that point, the concept
is about the same. The JDPS 6. 8
L diesel drives a Funk pump drive,
which again provides hydraulic power
to the loader functions and here, a
single generator provides power for
the electric motor at the transmission, after passing through a similar
Phoenix inverter system.
“With the 644K, we were able to
leave much of the existing drivetrain
in place,” Mastanduno said, “allowing
us to get to market quicker.” He added
that while the 644K hybrid would have a
premium price, the payback is expected
to be only two to three years.
“Customers told us they would
pay the premium up front, if they
get that two- to three-year payback,”
Mastanduno said. “And with fuel
economy improvements in the 15 to
20% range, and the current price of
fuel, they can see the value propo-
sition. And if the price of fuel goes
higher, the payback is even shorter.”
He added that operators of these two
new machines will see no difference in
the operation. “That’s one of the things
we said was non-negotiable in the
development process,” Mastanduno
said. “We’re not giving up power, per-
formance or visibility, or maybe most
importantly, the way the machine is
operated. It is the same whether it’s a
hybrid-electric drive or diesel.
INDUSTRY NEWS
which can dissipate braking energy,
which in turn reduces brake wear.
However, Mastanduno said that
“right now is not the right time and
there isn’t the right customer payback,” for energy storage. But he
added that when energy storage prices
come down and capabilities increase,
Deere has already designed the ability to add an energy storage system,
likely either batteries or capacitors,
into current machine architecture.
“In the future, instead of dissipating that energy, we could store it,”
Mastanduno said. “If a small amount
of energy is stored, you could use it to
move or creep the vehicle along.
“If you have the capability to store
much larger amounts of energy, now
you can start to electrify things like
the hydraulics, or more near-term, the
heating, ventilation or cooling systems
in the cab. Because now you can turn
the engine off and reduce idle time
and lower fuel costs even more. And
that’s the first area to look at, given
the restrictions on idling time.”
Mastanduno did say that Deere was
also looking at its forestry machines
as possible future hybrid-electric drive
applications, and in fact showed a for-
warder with some of these same elec-
tric components at a Scandinavian
forestry show a few years ago.
“I would say the response to the
944K and 644K at ConExpo-Con/Agg
exceeded our expectations — and I
had high expectations,” Mastanduno
said. “There was buying interest.
People were prepared to buy right
now. They see the value, with $4
per gal. diesel fuel, it hits their value
proposition. It’s top of mind right now
— fuel savings and payback.
“And they get the technology. They
relate what we’re doing to what’s
been done in the railroad industry
or large mining equipment. They get
it. To many of them this isn’t brand
new technology, but something that
has already been proven in a lot of
rough applications.” dp
www.deere.com
14 DIESEL PROGRESS NORTH AMERICAN EDITION June 2011
