The Royal Automobile Club has presented JCB with the Dewar Trophy for ‘Outstanding Technical Achievement in the British Automotive Industry’ for its 19C-1E — the first fully electric mini-digger for the construction industry.
The presentation — at the RAC Club in Pall Mall — was made just weeks after the new digger began rolling off the production line at JCB Compact Products in Cheadle.
JCB (
www.jcb.com) is one of only four companies in the 113-year history of the Dewar Trophy to win it more than once, having received the accolade in 2006 for its record-breaking Dieselmax car, powered by two JCB engines.
Company chairman Lord Bamford said: “I’m absolutely delighted that JCB has been presented with the Dewar Trophy. For our new electric mini-excavator to be recognised in this way is tremendous for the company and the team that has developed it.”
John Wood, chairman of the Dewar technical committee, said: “Awarding the 2019 trophy to JCB was a unanimous decision; it represents a bold commitment to the introduction of novel technology in the off-road sector.”
Now in full production, the 19C-1E is five-times quieter than its diesel counterpart, and it can be fully charged in under 2hr to work a typical full day’s shift.
It is expected to be ‘a big hit’ with companies working inside buildings and in inner-city areas sensitive to emissions and noise.