The low noise and zero emissions JCB19C-1E mini excavator pictured in the reading room of London's Caledonian Club.

JCB is celebrating the news that its electric mini excavator has scooped one of the world's most prestigious prizes for engineering innovation.

The UK's Royal Academy of Engineering announced that JCB's ultra-quiet and zero emissions 19C-1E electric mini excavator has won the 2020 MacRobert Award.

The MacRobert Award is a prize for innovation that has been presented since 1969 to honor a wide variety of engineering feats, including the CT scanner and Rolls-Royce's Pegasus engine used in the Harrier jump jet.

JCB faced strong competition for this year's award from two other shortlisted finalists: the all-electric I-PACE sports utility vehicle from Jaguar Land Rover and ecoSMRT liquid natural gas reliquification technology from Babcock's LGE business.

"To win one of the world's most respected engineering prizes is an outstanding endorsement for JCB's electrification team, who have achieved so much in applying a science which was new to our business," said JCB Chairman Lord Bamford. "JCB's electric mini excavator will contribute to a zero carbon future and it's a huge honor for our contribution to be recognized in this way."

Richard Friend, chair of the Royal Academy of Engineering MacRobert Award judging panel, said: "JCB's electric digger is a huge engineering achievement. The team has developed all parts of the electric propulsion system to deliver system performance that matches real customer requirements. This is a huge achievement in itself, but the additional benefits of zero exhaust emissions and much lower noise has lifted the 19C-1E excavator to a new level."

The 19C-1E excavator is the world's first volume-produced fully electric mini excavator and with it, JCB has shown it is possible to make powerful construction machinery without an internal combustion engine. Hundreds of the machines have been sold and so far they have saved the equivalent of 33,290 lbs in CO2 emissions across 5,616 hours of work, according to JCB.

As well as significantly reducing carbon emissions, the electric mini excavator has zero exhaust emissions and very low noise levels. This combination makes it much better suited than traditional construction equipment for operating inside buildings or in areas where noise must be kept to a minimum, for example near hospitals and schools and in cities where night shift work is often necessary.

For more information, visit www.jcb.com.

Today's top stories

Growing Interest in Construction Careers Among Younger People Means Jobs Filled, Deadlines Met

Larry Young Paving Tackles Grade-Separated Interchange in Texas

Caltrans, Crews Working to Repair Highway Landslides

FIRSTGREEN Industries Launches ROCKEAT Electric Skid Steer Loader

'Tiltrotator Effect' Increases as Energy Consumption Goes Down

VIDEO: Birmingham, Ala., Awarded $14.5M Fed Grant to Revitalize Its 'Black Main Street'

Pettibone Celebrates 75th Anniversary of Cary-Lift

Fay Preps Way for Pittsburgh International Airport Modernization Project