Why e-hydraulics may lead off-highway electrification

Electrification in off-highway equipment is often framed as a direct shift from diesel to battery-electric machines but as battery-electric adoption continues to face infrastructure and cost constraints, the transition is unfolding more gradually.

In sectors such as construction, mining and agriculture, the most immediate gains are likely to come not from battery-electric platforms but from the integration of electrically driven hydraulics (e-hydraulics) into existing engine-driven designs.

This phased approach is reflected in supplier outlooks, with Danfoss Editron, a manufacturer specialising in hybrid and electric powertrain systems for off-highway applications, suggesting that pure battery electric machines may account for less than five per cent of the off-highway market by 2030, while electrified and efficiency-optimised hydraulic systems could reach 20–30 per cent penetration over the same period.

Although electrification is often described as the next major disruptor, electrically driven hydraulic systems have been used in mobile equipment for decades.

Electric forklifts and warehouse lift trucks, for example, have long used electric motors to power hydraulic pumps for lifting and lowering loads, delivering precise control and quiet operation – providing a proven basis for advancing the technology to larger off-highway machines.