Honda to Unveil World Premiere of the eGX Prototype, Electrified Power Unit for Commercial-Grade Work Equipment, at bauma 2019

March 29, 2019, Japan

Power Products

TOKYO, Japan, March 29, 2019 – Honda will unveil the world premiere of the prototype of the eGX, an electrified power unit Honda is developing for commercial-grade work equipment, at bauma 2019, the world's leading construction machinery trade fair. Organized by the Messe München, bauma 2019 will be held April 8-14, 2019 in Munich, Germany, and the eGX prototype will be part of the exhibit of Honda Motor Europe Logistics, N.V., a Honda subsidiary in Europe (based in Ghent, Belgium).  

Integrated eGX Prototype

Integrated eGX Prototype

Separated eGX Prototype

Separated eGX Prototype

Honda is currently developing the eGX as an advanced zero-emission electrified power unit without compromising the high reliability and excellent installation compatibility of Honda’s GX Series general-purpose engines, which are popular among a broad range of industries as the world standard of a power source for various types of commercial-grade work equipment.  The Honda eGX is an advanced electrified power unit which accommodates the needs of the construction machinery market to enable their equipment to be more compatible with usage environments which are considered difficult for engine-powered machines, such as underground tunnels and nighttime construction work near residential areas. While utilizing know-how in the areas of durability and reliability amassed through the long history of developing the GX Series, Honda is pursuing the development of this particular eGX prototype on the basis of being installed to construction machineries with high vibration, such as a rammer and plate compactor.

Moreover, the motor for the eGX is equipped with a three-phase brushless DC motor, which was developed exclusively for this model, and realizes high-efficiency and high-power through outstanding insulation technology and winding technology for the alternator that Honda amassed through a long history of developing generators. Furthermore, the convenience and operational efficiency of the eGX were pursued through the adoption of a detachable lithium-ion battery pack.

eGX prototype models in the exhibit (tentative)

  • Integrated DC power unit eGX: model to be installed to a plate compactor
  • Separated DC power unit eGX: model to be installed to a rammer 

Key features of eGX prototype models

  • Excellent compatibility with Honda GX Series engines
    <Sizes of bolt holes and shaft of the flange are the same as those of GX (R)100/120, the external dimensions are similar to that of GX120>
  • Outstanding durability, reliability and aseismic performance equivalent to GX Series
  • Advantages unique to electrified power unit
    - Operability (easy start with simple switch operation)
    - Low-maintenance (elimination of various maintenance works, replacement of parts and clearing required by an engine)   
    - Zero-emission (zero emission of environmentally hazardous substances namely HC, NOx and CO2)

Specifications of eGX prototypes

 

Integrated eGX

Separated eGX

Motor type

Three-phase brushless DC motor

Rotational direction of output shaft

Counter-clockwise
(Viewed from the PTO shaft)

Range of max output

2.0 kW class

Total length (mm)
(excluding the shaft) 

242

303
(battery/PDU*1 part)

203
(motor part)

Total width (mm)

312
(excluding the switch box)

346
(battery/PDU*1 part)

184
(motor part)

Total height (mm)

387

258
(battery/PDU*1 part)

192
(motor part)

Battery type

Rechargeable lithium-ion battery

  • *In 1983, when side-valve (SV) engines were the mainstream of the general-purpose engine industry, Honda introduced its first GX Series engines which adopted an overhead-valve (OHV) design that featured the world’s first tilted cylinder. In addition to excellent durability and reliability as well as high economic efficiency realized by high fuel economy and reduced oil consumption resulted from high combustion efficiency, Honda has been continuously pursuing increased output, low emissions, smaller size/lighter weight, low vibration and quietness for GX Series engines. As a result, the Honda GX Series has been popular among work equipment manufactures all around the world. With a cumulative production of more than 65 million units*2, Honda GX Series engines have been the world’s best-selling 4-stroke general purpose engines*3, currently sold in more than 150 countries around the world.
  • *1PDU: Power Drive Unit (including drive system unit including the motor)  
  • *2As of January 2019
  • *3Honda internal research