The very first electric Mecalac E12 in the Netherlands has been running at Van Werven since mid-2023. The machine is deployed daily in Nunspeet, where the station environment is being radically renewed on behalf of BAM Infra. And that is happening remarkably quietly. Literally.
“When it's electric, people often have their doubts at first,” says the operator. “But once you work with it, you only notice how pleasant it is.” According to him, the E12 is almost identical to the diesel version he was used to working with. Only the steering feels a little more direct and the machine is slightly heavier. “But that's pure getting used to, as with any new machine.”
Peace in the cabin
What is immediately noticeable is the silence. “It makes me calmer myself. At the end of the day, I'm less tired. And I can now just talk to colleagues while the machine is running. Before, I had to turn off the engine, now just turn down the radio.”
The silence is not only comfortable, but also practical. Especially on inner-city projects, it is nice that the environment experiences less disturbance. Yet that quietness does not come at the expense of performance: the E12 does exactly what it is supposed to do, all day long.
Smart charging, efficient consumption
Charging is done at night via a building connection. “Just set it right and then in the morning it's full, at temperature and ready to use,” he says. Even on cold days, the battery holds up well, thanks in part to this integrated temperature control system. After a working day there is often 20 to 30 percent capacity left, good for an average consumption of only 100 kWh.
Familiar feeling, new energy
What is perhaps most convincing: you can work just as you are used to, same controls, same employability. “I don't have to go back to a diesel. And that says it all.”
The E12 may still be new in the field, but it feels familiar. Not because it looks exactly like the 12MTX, but because it shows that electric work need not be a modification-but simply an improvement.
After a working day, there is often 20 to 30 percent capacity left, good for an average consumption of only 100 kWh.
Machinist Mecalac E12
