Digger-maker JCB has scooped a prestigious British engineering award for its innovative electric digger.
The Staffordshire business was awarded The Dewar Trophy at The Royal Automobile Club awards for ‘Outstanding Technical Achievement in the British Automotive Industry.’
The accolade was handed over to the company for the development and introduction into the market of the JCB electric mini excavator – the construction industry’s first fully electric mini excavator.
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As a result, JCB becomes one of the few companies – in the 113-year history of the trophy – to have won it more than once.
In 2007, JCB was handed the award for its outstanding achievement in breaking the world diesel landspeed record with the JCB Dieselmax car powered by two JCB engines.
JCB Chairman Lord Bamford said: “I’m absolutely delighted that JCB has been presented with such a prestigious award. JCB is a company built on innovation and for our latest innovation, our electric mini excavator, to be recognised in this way is tremendous for the company and the team who have developed it.
"It’s also a great honour to join such an elite roll of past Dewar recipients including Mercedes-AMG, McLaren Automotive, Jaguar, Ford, Ricardo and GKN.”
John Wood MBE, chairman of the Dewar Technical Committee, said: “Awarding the 2019 trophy to JCB was a unanimous decision by the Dewar Technical Committee.
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“The JCB 19C-1E is unique in the application of electric powertrain technology in the mini excavator market. As one would expect from a company like JCB, it has come about as a result of a thoroughly well thought out and properly executed development process based on a clear appreciation of the market needs, usage profiles and the particular advantages that the emerging technology can offer.
“It represents a bold commitment to the introduction of novel technology in the off-road sector.”
The Dewar Trophy was presented to Bob Womersley, JCB’s director of advanced engineering. He added: “The 19C-IE is the construction industry’s first fully electric mini excavator to go into production.
“It has been a huge success and has a very promising future ahead of it. To win this award in the first few weeks of production is absolutely tremendous.”