Mahindra EarthMaster VX - Indias Most Fuel Efficient Backhoe Loader

There was a patch of time in the history of construction equipments when wanting the backhoe loaders and other machines to run even 10 hours at a stretch meant a huge fuel tank to go with the machine. Then came a time when the economy became more difficult to navigate and the fuel costs as high as 50 percent stopped making sense. Forced by the difficult economy and rising fuel prices (that of diesel in this particular case) the OEMs began to focus on finding ways to reduce the fuel consumption of these heavy machines without compromising on the performance.

Even though the economy and fuel prices eventually settled, the idea to reduce fuel consumption without compromising on productivity stuck for the many years to come. It is this idea that has developed into the sophisticated machines that we know the present day backhoe loaders to be. As the owners and contractors started becoming more sophisticated, so did there demands. An innate need for performance machines that spent lesser fuel had taken roots in the market and the same still flourishes.

Even as of today, fuel still continues to account for 30-40 percent of the expenditure when it comes to a backhoe loaders operating costs. Wanting to reduce this cost and increase the profit margins is the most logical thing for owners and contractors to demand for without having to compromise on the productivity. As a matter of fact, the sophisticated market today demands lower fuel consumption and higher productivity to increase their profit margins and save on the time factor.

Smarter technology needs to be developed around the engines to achieve higher fuel efficiency. Telematics either inbuilt or put in as an add on help a great deal in monitoring fluid efficiency of the machine and supporting fuel savings. Similarly variable displacement pumps in backhoe loaders make the machines more efficient by reducing the amount of wasted energy and fuel loss. The variable displacement pumps these days do not allow oil to be pumped unless a load is sensed thereby saving fuel and energy. This simple technology has already helped backhoe loaders save upto 7-8 percent on fuel costs if not more.

Stringent rules with regards to emissions is also proving to be a pushing factor in creation of more fuel efficient engines in order to reduce emissions. The engines combined with smarter fuel injection systems and electronics have made it possible to inject the exact amount of pressurised air into the engine as required to burn the fuel in it.

That being said let us take a look into the Earthmaster VX, which is sad to be the most fuel fuel efficient backhoe loader in the market today and the crowning glory of the Earthmaster range of products from the house of Mahindra.

Taking inspiration and learning form the tractors, the brain-yards at Mahindra construction equipment have managed to get down the fuel consumption of the EarthMaster range to 4.5 litres of fuel per hour. Meaning the VX saves 10 percent on your fuel costs alone. If one to was to calculate the operating costs of an Earthmaster VX then it would amount to saving of a whooping Rs 7,68,000 four years down the line or Rs 1,92,000 a year. This is no small feat in the industry.

So what is the secret behind such huge savings? The secret to these tremendous numbers is the Mahindra DITEC engine. The DITEC is a compact 3.5 litre engine that can generate 83 PS power which is 6PS higher than the closest competitor which boasts a 4.8 litre engine. While the DITEC engine in itself is good enough, it is supported by a turbo charged intercooler which optimises combustion in the engine. What it translates to is, that the Earthmaster VX can run for a whooping 21 hours straight continuously even in high temperatures.

Furthermore, the DITEC engine is designed to give higher torque even at relatively lower RPMs. For most engines, the torque is directly proportional to RPM of the engine but that is not the case for the DITEC engine. The torque remains constant even when the RPM drops down to a range of 1300-1700.

All these factors combined together, result in the Earthmaster VX being the most fuel efficient machine for both backhoe and loading functions. The Earthmaster VX reduces operating costs meaning that while the profits remain the same, lower operating costs translate to higher profits. As a matter of fact the operating cost of the VX is Rs 64 cheaper than its closest competitor.

The numbers speak for themselves making the Mahindra Earthmaster VX a front runner in the industry and putting it amongst a buyer’s top choices to spend their moolah on.