Tampa rental company unveils fully electric crane

Sims Crane and Equipment Co., a large private crane rental and rigging service company, showcased what it says is the world's first battery-powered crawler crane on Monday morning at Sims corporate headquarters in Tampa.

Sims hosted the crawler crane's U.S. debut event with the crawler crane's designer, Liebherr, an international equipment manufacturer.

Sims officials say the crawler crane's battery-powered engine cuts local carbon emissions completely, and is capable of operating for eight hours unplugged, or for an unlimited amount of time when connected to a power source. Liebherr and Sims say there is no compromise in performance between the electric version of the crawler crane and its diesel-powered counterpart.

As with electric trucks, the crawler crane is also "significantly quieter" than its diesel counterpart, "making it ideal for construction jobs in residential areas, at hospitals and in other locations where noise pollution may be a concern."

The battery-powered crawler crane joins Sims' rental fleet, which Sims says is the largest fleet in Florida.

Founded in 1959, Sims offers equipment for heavy lifting and hauling applications for construction and industrial projects. The company is currently expanding into Georgia and recently opened an office in Atlanta.