The 50-tonne Hyundai HX480L excavator has been on offer by the South Korean construction equipment giant since 2017. Since its launch in the German-speaking region, several dozens of these machines have been sold and it has become a permanent fixture in demolition, mining, underground construction and hydraulic construction.

Customers can currently choose from three monoblock booms ranging from 6,550 to 9,000 mm in length and arms ranging from 2,400 to 6,000 mm – all so that the right combination can be selected for every job and every material. With the longest monoblock boom/arm connection, the excavator reaches a digging depth of 8,510 mm. 600 mm triple grouser track shoes are used for the mining industry, while track shoes with a width of 800/900 mm are available as standard for less load-bearing surfaces. The largest standard bucket has a volume of 3.2 m3.

With the HX series (operating weights ranging from 14 to 52 tonnes), Hyundai Construction Equipment Europe has introduced a newly designed serious of modern, ergonomic and powerful hydraulic excavators with operating weights ranging from 12 to 90 tonnes. Stage IV/V engines (a Stage VI Scania DC13 084Ac with 316 kW power on the HX480), a new design, and extensive new and further developments in the cabin, components and operation are attractive selling points. An important feature of all HX hydraulic excavators is the interior, which is up to 4 dB quieter, and the cabin, which is now 13% larger. It is a defining design element and gives the HX machines a distinctive look.

The main focus of further development work is the operator and their demands for comfort and safety. The new ROPS/FOPS cabin is mounted on especially well-insulated dampers, significantly reducing the vibrations at the operator seat. The operator seat and control panels with joysticks are a single unit that automatically adjust to the operator's weight.

The capacitive touchscreen display has been enlarged to 8 inches. The operator can use the display to make numerous parameter settings in clear and intuitive menu items. Two views and three modes are available. In addition to displays and switches, many settings can be made very easily using superimposed sliders and adjusted with minimal effort. To make it easier for the operator to work efficiently, the display has a large, colour ECO Gauge. Coloured bars in the tachometer indicate efficiency – green bars indicate efficient operation, red represent high fuel consumption and wear. Three operating modes – ECO, Standard and Power – are stored in the control and can be selected by pressing a button.

The oil quantity and pressure of up to 20 attachments can be stored in a directory via the touchscreen (HCEE calls this the EPPR function – the Electronic Proportional Pressure Reducing valve function). For particularly demanding attachments, the hydraulic delivery rate can be increased by connecting two pumps together. This configuration data is also stored in the Hyundai system together with the pressure and oil delivery quantity. This feature is particularly important in demolition, where there is always switching between hammer, scissors, pulveriser, sorting bucket, etc.

Safety is a top priority for Hyundai products. The reversing camera is fitted as standard. As an option, HCEE offers the AAVM (Advanced Around View Monitoring) system, which presents on the display a 360-degree all-round view compiled from the image information of four cameras mounted on the excavator. With the IMOD (Intelligent Moving Objects Detection) monitoring system that is also available, objects moving in the vicinity of the excavator are detected and presented on the touchscreen display.

Other features of the new Hyundai HX excavator generation

With the 6,250 mm monoblock and 3,050 mm arm, the excavator reaches a digging depth of 7,060 mm and breakaway forces of 192 kN. With this equipment combination, the breakout force is 137 kN. Special features of the new HX series at a glance:

• ECO Gauge
• IPC (Intelligent Power Control)
• Improved variable power control
• Electrically-driven viscous fan clutch
• Volume flow control for attachments can be preselected
• New cooling system with higher air flow
• Large air intake with grille cover
• Single-pedal straight-ahead travel (option)
• Heavy-duty cooling module
• Wear-resistant bolts, bushings and polymer washers
• Infotainment cabin
• Intelligent control system
• WiFi Direct with smartphone (Miracast, new audio system)
• Proportional auxiliary hydraulics
• Easy access to DEF/AdBlue supply
• Hi-Mate (machine management system, activation optional)
• Swing Lock (option)
• Fine Swing (option)
• Improved sustainability
• Modern driveline with components from well-known makers (Cummins, Rexroth, etc.)
• High level of ergonomics
• Great performance paired with state-of-the-art exhaust technology