Delivering 25 percent greater overall efficiency, Caterpillar says its latest wheel loader, the 988K XE, is designed “for demanding jobsites where fuel efficiency makes a difference in the machine’s total cost of operation.”
The fuel savings are thanks to the new loader’s electric drive system. However, the machine retains the Cat C18 ACERT engine, mechanical dropbox, driveline and axles from the non-XE 988K. Cat says the XE model delivers 10 percent more productivity in load-and-carry applications than the standard 988K.
During four years of field testing, Cat says it actually saw efficiency figures increase over the standard 988K by as much as 49 percent when operated in face-loading applications.
In addition to the fuel and productivity gains, Cat says the electric drive system also cuts down on overall maintenance costs while increasing engine life by 3,500 hours. The 988K XE uses 40 percent less powertrain oil than the 988K and oil change intervals are every 2,000 hours.
In addition to longer engine life, Cat says the electric drive system is built to last through the lifetimes of two engines “with minimum maintenance.”
